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Crime

Red Deer RCMP recent arrests include seizures of fentanyl and carfentanil

Published

7 years ago

9 minute read

February 9, 2018

Red Deer, Alberta – Recent arrests by Red Deer RCMP have involved seizures of fentanyl and carfentanil, property crimes and fraud, and the continued focus on prolific offenders who fail to comply with court-imposed conditions. Many arrests have been thanks to targeted patrols in areas that show high levels of criminal activity, as part of Red Deer’s Pinpoint crime reduction strategy. Pinpoint uses an intelligence-driven policing model to identify problem areas, prolific offenders and emerging issues, and Red Deer RCMP target their enforcement accordingly.

February 5 – 2018157742
At 1:15 am on February 5, RCMP on patrol in downtown Red Deer located a woman who was wanted on outstanding warrants. During her arrest, RCMP seized crystal meth.

44 year old Tamara Dawn Johnson faces the following charges:
· CDSA 4(1) – Possession of Schedule I substance X 2
· Criminal Code 145(3) – Fail to comply with conditions
Johnson is scheduled to appear in court in Red Deer on February 13 at 8:30 am.

January 31 – 2018139725
At 10:15 pm on January 31, RCMP on patrol in downtown Red Deer located a female suspect who was wanted on a number of outstanding warrants from four separate files. During her arrest, police seized methamphetamine and carfentanil.

In addition to her warrants, 34 year old Tomasina Ballentyne faces the following charges:
· CDSA 4(1) – Possession of Schedule I substance X 2
· Criminal Code 145(3) – Fail to comply with conditions X 2
Ballentyne was remanded to appear in court on February 2; she is scheduled to appear again on February 12 at 9:30 am.

January 31 – 2018135103
Shortly before 2 am on January 31, RCMP on patrol in a high crime area located a suspicious vehicle; as they approached, the male driver fled on foot but was arrested after a brief foot chase. RCMP seized a baggie of fentanyl and approximately $1,700 as proceeds of crime.

40 year old Ryan Michael Simoneau faces a charge of possession for the purpose of trafficking (CDSA 5(1)); he is scheduled to appear in court in Red Deer on February 20 at 8:30 am.

January 31/ 30 – 2018138969/ 2018134164/ 20171260250
Shortly before 6 pm on January 31, RCMP responded to a report of a theft suspect being pursued by retail security staff after the theft of a backpack from a fitness facility. The suspect fled on foot and was seen getting on a Red Deer Transit bus. RCMP located the bus, executed a traffic stop, and removed the suspect. There was no impact on riders or interruption of transit service as a result of the arrest.

The suspect had been arrested the day before by Red Deer RCMP at a north end restaurant after police responded to a report of a disturbance and determined that the suspect was wanted on outstanding warrants after failing to appear in court on charges related to the theft of client items from a different fitness facility in September.

30 year old William James Webb faces the following charges for both incidents:
· Criminal Code 334(b) – Theft under $5,000 X 2
· Criminal Code 355(b) – Possession of stolen property under $5,000
· Criminal Code 145(5) – Fail to comply with conditions
· Criminal Code 145(2)(a) – Fail to attend court
Webb was scheduled to appear in court in Red Deer on February 8 on one charge and on March 23 at 9:30 am for the others. He did not attend court today and the possession of stolen property charge has now gone to warrant status.

January 30 – 20171520442
Red Deer RCMP located and arrested 32 year old Jessie Singh Dodd, who was wanted on warrants after failing to appear in court regarding a November file in which he resisted arrest and was found to be in possession of weapons in violation of his probation. He appeared in court in Red Deer on February 2 and is scheduled to appear again on February 23 at 9:30 am.

January 29 – 2018126031
RCMP on patrol in a high crime area shortly after 1 am on January 29 located a stolen vehicle occupied by a male suspect. RCMP moved into position to surround the vehicle in case of an attempted flight from police, and initiated a traffic stop. The suspect was taken into custody without incident and police seized methamphetamine from him; at the time of his arrest, he was found to be breaching several court-imposed conditions.

51 year old Gordon Edouard Cameron faces the following charges:
· Criminal Code 355(a) – Possession of stolen property over $5,000
· Criminal Code 145(5.1) – Fail to comply with conditions X 2
· CDSA 4(1) – Possession of Schedule I substance
Cameron was remanded to appear in court in Red Deer on January 31; his next court appearance is scheduled for February 28 at 9:30 am.

January 25 – 2018108796/ 20171675122
In the early hours of January 25, Red Deer RCMP located two men in a vehicle in a high crime area who were wanted on numerous outstanding warrants; one was found to be breaching several court-imposed conditions at the time of his arrest, including a curfew condition and conditions not to be in a vehicle if he was not the registered owner.

42 year old Kirk Kuske was wanted on six warrants out of Ponoka for possession of stolen property (X 2), evade police, theft, obstruction, and operating a motor vehicle while disqualified. He now faces additional charges of:
· Criminal Code 145(3) – Fail to comply with conditions X 2
· Criminal Code 259(4) – Operate motor vehicle while disqualified
Kuske was remanded to appear in court in Red Deer on January 26; he is scheduled to appear again on February 13 at 9:30 am.

49 year old Craig Oliver was wanted on eight warrants out of Red Deer for fraud under $5,000 000 (CC 380(1)(b)) after Red Deer RCMP identified him as a suspect in repeated frauds committed at a local grocery store, where he is alleged to have used stolen credit cards to purchase hundreds of dollars worth of product over multiple visits. RCMP identified him after obtaining surveillance images and issued arrest warrants for eight separate incidents of fraud between September and December of 2017.

Craig Oliver made his first court appearance in Red Deer on February 6 and is scheduled to appear again on February 26 at 8:30 am.

January 24 – 201885973
On January 24, Red Deer RCMP located a man who was wanted on a warrant after RCMP conducting curfew checks on January 20 determined that he was violating his court-imposed curfew. Red Deer RCMP conduct curfew checks on identified individuals as part of Pinpoint, the Red Deer RCMP crime reduction strategy that targets prolific offenders, crime hot spots and problem residences.

28 year old Brandon William Wallner faces a charge of failing to comply with conditions and was remanded to appear in court in Red Deer on January 30; his next court appearance is scheduled for February 13 at 8:30 am.

January 24 – 2018106290
At 1:30 pm on January 24, RCMP responded to a report of shoplifters in a downtown store. RCMP attended and retrieved surveillance images of the male and female suspects, then located them nearby in the downtown. The female suspect was in possession of the stolen items at the time of her arrest.

23 year old Lateesha Flodell was wanted on three outstanding warrants out of Lacombe at the time of her arrest; she was charged with an additional charge of theft under $5,000 and was scheduled to appear in court in Red Deer on February 2. Flodell did not appear in court and those charges have now gone to warrant status.

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Crime

Suspected ambush leaves two firefighters dead in Idaho

Published on June 30, 2025

By

MXM logo MxM News

Quick Hit:

Two firefighters were killed and another wounded Sunday after a gunman opened fire on first responders tackling a blaze near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. The shooter was later found dead, and authorities believe the fire may have been set to lure crews into an ambush.

Key Details:

  • The ambush began around 2 p.m. local time as fire crews arrived at a brush fire and were met with sniper-style gunfire from a wooded area.
  • SWAT teams located the deceased suspect roughly five hours later, with a weapon nearby. His identity has not yet been released.
  • The Kootenai County Sheriff said the ongoing fire could not be addressed during the gunfight, calling the attack a “heinous direct assault” on first responders.

Diving Deeper:

A deadly ambush on Sunday afternoon left two Idaho firefighters dead and a third injured after they were shot while attempting to contain a brush fire on Canfield Mountain. The surprise attack reportedly began around 2 p.m., when bullets suddenly rained down on emergency crews from hidden positions in the wooded terrain near Coeur d’Alene.

Authorities now believe the blaze may have been deliberately set as bait. Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris described the situation as “an active sniper attack,” saying the scene quickly escalated into chaos with gunfire coming from multiple directions.

“We don’t know if there’s one, two, three or four [shooters],” Norris said in an early evening press conference. “I’m hoping that someone has a clear shot and is able to neutralize [the suspect], because they’re not showing any signs of surrendering.”

Roughly five hours after the first shots were fired, SWAT officers found a body next to a firearm along the Canfield Mountain Trail. Authorities have not confirmed whether the individual was the sole assailant, nor have they publicly identified the person. The FBI, along with state and local agencies, had been deployed to the scene to assist with the operation.

The two firefighters who died have not yet been named. The third, who sustained a gunshot wound, was transported to Kootenai Health and remains hospitalized. His current condition is unknown.

The firefight effectively halted efforts to contain the brush fire, which remained active late into Sunday. “It’s going to keep burning. We can’t put any resources on it right now,” Norris said during the standoff. Shelter-in-place orders were issued for the surrounding area, including the popular Canfield Mountain Trailhead, but those restrictions were lifted after the suspect was found dead.

Idaho Governor Brad Little reacted to the tragedy on social media, calling the ambush “a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters.” He added, “Teresa and I are heartbroken. I ask all Idahoans to pray for them and their families as we wait to learn more.”

Federal and local officials are continuing to investigate the incident, including the origins of the fire and whether additional suspects may have been involved.

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Crime

Florida rescues 60 missing kids in nation’s largest-ever operation

Published on June 28, 2025

By

MXM logo MxM News

Quick Hit:

Florida authorities have recovered 60 “critically missing” children in a two-week operation across the Tampa Bay area. The joint state and federal effort, dubbed Operation Dragon Eye, led to eight arrests and uncovered new human trafficking investigations.

Key Details:

  • The children, aged 9 to 17, were found across Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco counties. The operation was carried out with help from the U.S. Marshals, state prosecutors, and local police departments.

  • Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier confirmed eight individuals were arrested on charges including human trafficking, child endangerment, and drug-related offenses. Additional investigations are underway.

  • The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) hailed the operation as the most successful child recovery effort in U.S. history, declaring, “Florida doesn’t look the other way — we hunt predators and bring kids home.”

Diving Deeper:

Over a two-week span, law enforcement agencies across Florida joined forces for what’s being called a historic child recovery mission. Dubbed Operation Dragon Eye, the coordinated effort led to the rescue of 60 critically missing children—some as young as 9 years old—in the Tampa Bay region, including Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco counties.

According to Fox 13, federal and state agencies worked alongside local law enforcement, with direct involvement from the U.S. Marshals Service and Florida prosecutors. The term “critically missing,” as defined by the Marshals Service, applies to minors facing heightened threats such as exposure to violent crime, sexual exploitation, substance abuse, or domestic violence.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier praised the operation’s success in a statement posted to social media Monday. “We will keep fighting evil head-on and bringing accountability to those who harm children,” he said, confirming eight suspects had been taken into custody, with additional investigations now underway related to human trafficking networks.

Charges filed against the arrested individuals include human trafficking, child endangerment, custodial interference, and drug possession.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement described the effort as “the most successful missing child recovery operation in American history.” In a statement, the agency said its analysts and field agents “were proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the U.S. Marshals” and emphasized that “Florida doesn’t look the other way.”

Several nonprofits and local support groups played a vital role in caring for the recovered children, including More Too Life, the Children’s Home Network, Bridging Freedom, Bridges of Hope, Family Support Services of Pasco and Pinellas, and Redefining Refuge.

Dr. Katherine Gomez of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice said many of these children had felt hopeless and alone. “Oftentimes these young people have felt like there’s no one in their corner. They feel abandoned… like they have to look out for themselves because no one else will,” she told WFLA.

FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass acknowledged the emotional toll such operations take on officers, who are exposed to the trauma these children endure. “They have to see everything that happens to these children, and we need to pray for them because they had to take that burden home,” he said.

Glass added that while the operation struck a major blow to human trafficking in the region, the threat remains. “The fight isn’t over.”

U.S. Marshal Bill Berger of the Middle District of Florida warned that traffickers often return to their victims if not apprehended. “If the offenders are not apprehended, they will reconnect with these children. They are, in my opinion, leeches,” Berger stated.

Officials vowed continued vigilance to keep predators behind bars and ensure every vulnerable child is found and protected.

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