From Red Deer RCMP: 

Red Deer RCMP arrested a man and a woman after a late night traffic stop on October 10 led to the seizure of two firearms, methamphetamine and drug trafficking paraphernalia; the pair faces 62 charges.

At 11:30 pm on October 10, a member of the Red Deer RCMP traffic unit was on patrol in the Highland Green neighbourhood and located a suspicious vehicle in an alley. As police approached, the vehicle came to a stop in a parking lot and the male driver and female passenger attempted to walk away from the scene. They were detained by police without incident. In a subsequent search of the vehicle, RCMP seized a loaded handgun and a loaded rifle which had been stolen during residential break-ins in Blackfalds and Sylvan Lake, other weapons including knives, a hatchet and multiple cans of bear spray, what is believed to be methamphetamine, cash seized as proceeds of crime, items consistent with drug trafficking, and large amounts of stolen identification.

RCMP have sworn a number of criminal charges against the pair and continue to investigate the circumstances around the various pieces of stolen identification.

“The Red Deer RCMP Pinpoint crime reduction strategy involves every Red Deer unit actively applying targeted attention to crime hot spots, to prolific offenders and to public safety,” says Inspector Gerald Grobmeier of the Red Deer RCMP. “This duo faces 62 charges in total as a result of traffic enforcement efforts to help keep Red Deer as safe as possible on all levels of policing.”

31 year old Michael Onischuk was on numerous weapons prohibitions at the time of his arrest; he faces the following 50 charges:

  • ·CDSA 5(2) – Possession for the purpose of trafficking
  • ·Criminal Code 355(a) – Possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000
  • ·Criminal Code 92(2) – Possession of restricted firearm without licence
  • ·Criminal Code 92(1) – Possession of firearm without licence
  • ·Criminal Code 86(1) – Careless use/ storage/ transportation of firearm X 2
  • ·Criminal Code 91(2) – Possession of prohibited weapon X 3
  • ·Criminal Code 95 – Possession of loaded firearm
  • ·Criminal Code 94(1) – Possess of restricted firearm in a vehicle
  • ·Criminal Code 96(1) – Possession of firearm obtained by crime X 2
  • ·Criminal Code 117.01(1) – Firearm or weapon possession contrary to prohibition order X 36
  • ·TSA 94(2) – Drive while unauthorized

Onischuk was remanded to appear in court in Red Deer on October 12 at 9:30 am.

29 year old Chelsey Praski-O’Connor faces the following 12 charges:

  • ·CDSA 5(2) – Possession for the purpose of trafficking
  • ·Criminal Code 355(a) – Possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000
  • ·Criminal Code 92(2) – Possession of restricted firearm without licence
  • ·Criminal Code 92(1) – Possession of firearm without licence
  • ·Criminal Code 86(1) – Careless use/ storage/ transportation of firearm X 2
  • ·Criminal Code 91(2) – Possession of prohibited weapon X 2
  • ·Criminal Code 95 – Possession of loaded firearm
  • ·Criminal Code 94(1) – Possess of restricted firearm in a vehicle
  • ·Criminal Code 96(1) – Possession of firearm obtained by crime X 2

Praski-O’Connor was remanded to appear in court in Red Deer on October 12 at 9:30 am.