Three of the 11 people charged with violating a public health order during the COVID-19 pandemic had appearances in court April 16 and remain in custody on weapons and drug-related charges.
Cherokee Cantre, Loewen Wolfe, and Francis Waterhen appeared in Meadow Lake Provincial Court. They were arrested for weapons and drug-related offences, as well as violating the Saskatchewan Public Health Act during the COVID-19 pandemic. The act says no more than 10 people can gather at one time without maintaining a two-meter distance and took effect March 26. They were the first to be charged under the act.
The charges stem from a March 27 incident when Loon Lake RCMP responded to a report of a suspicious person knocking on the door of a residence at about 1:30 a.m. RCMP say they got a description of the vehicle and it was a stolen black 2000 GMC Yukon SUV. They alerted nearby detachments to be on the look out for the SUV.
Meadow Lake RCMP spotted the vehicle travelling north and both Loon Lake and Pierceland RCMP assisted them in a police pursuit. They tried stopping the vehicle but it sped away and police say the occupants started throwing items out the window. Police picked up one of the bags and it contained several firearms.
The police pursuit continued onto Highway 55 and at different times, several occupants jumped out of the SUV while it travelled down the road. They were all picked up one-by-one by police and arrested.
Police then followed the vehicle on a dirt road where the driver lost control and crashed into the ditch. Some passengers fled and hid in a bush but were located and arrested. One was tracked by a Meadow Lake RCMP Police Service dog and arrested. Two were arrested at the vehicle. Police recovered firearms, narcotics and stolen property.
Four of the 11 – including one youth – were released from custody after their arrest on March 27 and are scheduled to make their first court appearance in Loon Lake Provincial Court in July. They include Montana Horse, Bianca Lasa and Megan Lewis. The youth can’t be identified in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
After being released, Stick, Horse, Lasa, Lewis and the youth were ordered to follow strict conditions under the provincial COVID-19 isolation protocols, including staying inside an approved residence 24 hours a day for 14 days and to notify the Saskatchewan Health Line at 911 immediately if they develop any COVID-19 symptoms.
Dedrick Stick was released March 30 after appearing in Meadow Lake Provincial Court via CCTV. He appears next in Onion Lake Circuit Court on July 23.
Lorrin Wolfe has a bail hearing on April 23.
Cantre had a bail hearing April 16 but it was adjourned until July 2 in Loon Lake Circuit Point.
Waterhen appeared in court April 16 and remains in custody. He has a show cause hearing in Meadow Lake Provincial Court May 7.
Wolfe appeared in court April 16 and remains in custody. He reappears via CCTV in Loon Lake Circuit Point to speak to the charges on July 2.
The 11 are from various communities including Lloydminster, Onion Lake Cree Nation, Makwa Sahaiehcan First Nation, Big Island Lake Cree Territory and Ministikwan Lake Cree Nation.
