59-year-old man chooses trial by judge for drug trafficking
By Peggy Revell on August 25, 2017.
prevell@medicinehatnews.com @MHNprevell A 59-year-old Medicine Hat man facing drug trafficking charges elected Thursday to be tried by Queen’s Court judge with a preliminary inquiry. Defence counsel for John Stewart Mueller entered the election, setting the next court appearance for Sept. 21, to set the date for the preliminary inquiry date. Mueller and four others were arrested in August, after police searched a residence and vehicle in the Flats and found a loaded shotgun, ammunition, body armor, approximately $4,000 in methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl and drug money. Mueller was charged with trafficking methamphetamine, possessing heroin for the purpose of trafficking, possessing fentanyl, possessing the of proceeds of crime, and unauthorized possession of identification. Firearms charges A woman facing multiple charges after police seized a cache of firearms at an Irvine residence had a brief court appearance Thursday, with an adjournment to Sept. 14. Counsel for Brandalyn Brandham said an adjournment is needed because they have received the Crown’s position, so need to discuss it with Brandham. Brandham’s co-accused, Denver Ryan Ailsby, 37, has already entered not-guilty pleas to the charges he faces, with a court appearance on Aug. 29 to set the trial date. As originally reported by Medicine Hat police, Ailsby was arrested alongside Brandalyn Brandham on April 12 after police executed a search warrant at a residence and seized 10 firearms, three of which were prohibited due to modification of barrel length. Also seized were four homemade silencers, prohibited magazines, bear spray, 20 grams of marijuana and several boxes and storage containers of ammunition. Assault charge It was 60 days time served, for a Medicine Hat woman who pled out to a simple assault charge as well as probation and release breaches —instead of heftier charges that included kidnapping. Therese Auger appeared by closed-circuit TV from the Calgary Remand Centre, with Crown and defence putting forward the joint resolution for the incident that stems back to January. According to the facts read in, a woman decided she needed to intervene with her older teenage daughter’s life — and recruited Auger and a man. They located the young woman at a convenience store, and grabbed her and took her out to a car, against her will. The mother currently has set the matter for trial, while the man involved is currently at warrant. The original charges were very serious, said defence counsel for Auger, but the joint submission reflects how Auger did not mean to hurt the young woman, and thought she was assisting her — but she realizes this does not reflect a reason to have put her hands on another person. Forty of the 60 days come from Auger’s guilty pleas to breaching her probation order twice, failing to sign in with police twice, and not appearing in court at one point when required. 17
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