Drug charges withdrawn after accused dies
By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on July 8, 2022.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com Criminal charges against a Lethbridge man relating to a drug trafficking investigation last year, have been withdrawn.Charges of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of stolen property, possession of a prohibited/restricted weapon and possession of a weapon while prohibited, against Jerome Ross were withdrawn Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court, after the Crown explained the accused had recently died.
In October an investigation was initiated by the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) and Lethbridge police following community concerns about drug trafficking by tenants of the Superlodge hotel in the 2200 block of 7 Avenue South.
During the early morning hours of Nov. 4 police raided a room at the hotel and two people were arrested without incident. Police seized methamphetamine, cocaine cash, prescription medications, brass knuckles and a machete. The drugs were estimated to be worth about $25,000.
The second suspect who was arrested was released without being charged.
Criminal charges against several other individuals stemming from unrelated incidents were also withdrawn Thursday.
Nathanial Fransen of Lethbridge and Frances Marie Fransen of Barnwell were charged with drug and property related offences stemming from a police raid on a Lethbridge residence March 31.
Patrol officers and members of the crime suppression team and traffic response unit searched a residence in the 600 block of Stafford Drive North, where they seized 13.6 grams of methamphetamine and smaller amounts of cocaine, crack cocaine and fentanyl. They also seized a pellet gun, various tools, including three chainsaws, and nearly $1,200 in cash.
Nathanial, 18, was charged with drug possession for the purpose of trafficking, drug possession, and possession of the proceeds of crime under $5,000. Frances, 39, was charged with drug possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of the proceeds of crime under $5,000. All the charges were withdrawn Thursday.
Charges of failure to comply with release conditions, as well as charges of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking and breaching a peace bond, against Imanpal Singh Shergill were also withdrawn.
On Sept. 28 of last year the Lethbridge Police Service priority crimes unit arrested a Calgary man and seized more than $30,000 worth of drugs. The day before police saw activity consistent with drug trafficking, and at about 6 p.m. the following day they stopped a vehicle at the intersection of 9 Avenue and 19 Street North and arrested Shergill and seized $955 in cash.
During a subsequent search of a home in the 1100 block of 12 B Street South, officers found 502.5 grams of methamphetamine worth more than $30,000, and paraphernalia associated with drug trafficking. Follow @DShurtzHerald on Twitter 4
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