REGINA -- The Regina Police Service will provide details on an organized crime investigation which resulted in charges against eight individuals, with another person with an outstanding warrant still at large.
Service members arrested members of a Saskatchewan street gang on June 11. Charges have been laid against six men between the ages of 25 and 40, a 23-year-old woman. A 33-year-old woman and a 17-year-old youth. Police have not located the 33-year-old woman.
RPS says it intends to name the street gang involved in these charges.
Regina Police Services Superintendent Corey Zaharuk said it’s difficult to differentiate between gang members and associates, so he could not provide an estimate on how many people are involved in the gang in question. However, he said he’s confident that the arrests made in this investigation “will continue to have a positive impact on community safety.”
Zaharuk said he’s aware that gang members often have influence on the street from within correctional centres, which serves as an ongoing challenge for police.
Ramie Louis Bellegarde, 40, from Goodeve is charged with instructing commission of offence for criminal organization, commission of offence for criminal organization, attempt to commit murder, three counts of uttering threats and two counts of extortion.
Thomas Adam Stevenson, 36, Taylor Jay Keshane, 25, Justin James Papequash, 30, Glenn Travis Sutherland, 32, Kelly Leo Lonethunder, 28, from Regina, Elizabeth Marjorie Pascal, 23 and a 17-year-old youth are all charged with the commission of an offence for a criminal organization and attempted murder.
Misty Shay Taypotat , 33, is wanted on an outstanding warrant for participation in activities of a criminal organization. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact the Regina Police Service.
Bellegarde, Stevenson, Keshane, Lonethunder, Sutherland and Papequash will make their next court appearance on June 19. Pascal will appear on June 18, and the youth on June 22.