St. Albert Drug Dealer put Children at Risk

Edmonton… Two St. Albert women are facing charges under Alberta’s Drug Endangered Children’s Act, following an Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) investigation into suspected drug trafficking.

ALERT Edmonton, an integrated team consisting of Edmonton Police Service and RCMP members, arrested the two women when a search warrant was executed at a home in St. Albert’s Lacombe Park neighbourhood on August 5. Members of RCMP St. Albert assisted with the search warrant.

Two young children lived in the home amongst the presence of drugs and investigators believe drug transactions were a regular occurrence at the home. The drug-endangered children’s legislation makes it clear that children exposed to an adult’s involvement in serious drug activity, such as trafficking, are victims of abuse and need protection.

A wide variety of illegal and prescription drugs were found in the home, along with evidence to suggest trafficking. ALERT is still in the process of identifying and cataloguing the evidence, and an estimate on the quantity seized is unavailable at this time. It appears that methamphetamine was the most prominent drug being sold, but other drugs seized included: cocaine, ketamine, GHB, diazepam, morphine, and psilocybin.

ALERT is not identifying the women charged in order to protect the identity of the children involved. The children were not in the home at the time of the search warrant and are staying with another family member. EPS’ Child At-Risk Response Team was consulted in the investigation.

A 39-year-old woman, who was the principal target of the investigation is charged with:

• Possession for the purpose of trafficking (x 10);
• Possession of proceeds of crime;
• Causing a child to be drug-endangered.

A 38-year-old woman, who is the parent of the two children, is charged with:

• Possession of a controlled substance;
• Causing a child to be drug-endangered.

The short-term investigation aimed to address street-level drug sales in the community.

ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime. Members of Alberta Sheriffs, Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, Lethbridge Regional Police Service, Medicine Hat Police Service, and RCMP work in ALERT.

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