Red Deer associates of the Independent Soldiers and Red Scorpions gangs have been arrested and an estimated $25,000 in drugs have been seized following a joint investigation between ALERT and the Red Deer RCMP.
Kim Proctor, an alleged associate of the Independent Soldiers and Steven Herman, an alleged associate of the Red Scorpions, were arrested on March 8th.
They were arrested as result of a three-month investigation by ALERT Red Deer’s organized crime and gang enforcement team and the Red Deer RCMP General Investigation Section. Two women were also arrested.
The investigation began in January and focused on the gang’s activities in Red Deer, which allegedly involved drug trafficking. Investigators searched two Red Deer homes, located on White Avenue and Maxwell Avenue, where the alleged gang associates were arrested along with the seizure firearms and an assortment of drugs.
Items seized from both Red Deer homes included a stolen 22-caliber rifle, a stolen 38-caliber revolver handgun, 46 grams of methamphetamine, 32 grams of suspected fentanyl powder, seven grams of cocaine, 104 grams of ketamine and 226 grams of marijuana.
The Independent Soldiers are primarily a B.C.-based gang and clothing linking the gang to Red Deer was seized from Proctor’s home. The Red Scorpions also have strong ties to B.C. and their presence in Red Deer dates back to at least July 2014 when a gang member was arrested in a joint investigation by ALERT and the Red Deer RCMP.
Proctor, 37, is charged with three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, two counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm, two counts of possession of a weapon obtained by crime and possession of property obtained by crime.
Herman, 36, is charged with three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of a controlled substance.
Trina Boudreau-Pritchard, 28, is charged with three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and three counts of possession of a controlled substance.
Catherine Nicole Campbell, 25, is also charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking.
“Red Deer is a good City. Red Deer is a safe City and Red Deer is full of tremendous citizens who are engaged and wishing to make their community safe,” said Supt. Ken Foster of the Red Deer RCMP. “However we do have a small population that commits an inordinate amount of the crime.”
ALERT CEO and Acting Supt. Chad Coles said the suspects are known to police.
“It would appear they were trying to establish a (gang) presence here in Red Deer,” he said. “I would suggest that our enforcement action and these arrests have prevented formal establishment of a larger Red Deer gang.”
Coles added police also believe the suspected fentanyl powder seized was being sold as heroin on the street.
“We are all aware of the impacts that fentanyl trafficking has on the province. It’s a very dangerous drug,” he said. “It’s very important that we took enforcement action and removed those drugs from the streets.
“Anytime you have taken enforcement action like this, you have taken a significant amount of drugs out of the hands of individuals, thus interrupting their flow of business. And we have taken firearms off the streets and that has a deterrent effect on other members of the gangs.”
efawcett@reddeerexpress.com
