INNISFAIL - A citizen's tip of a loud drunk in the lounge of a local motel led Mounties to make a major weapons and ammunition bust on a Red Deer County man known to police for being previously on the wrong side of the law.
The bust resulted in 57 Criminal Code charges, including 32 for weapons and ammunition offences, laid against the suspect.
"There was a call from a citizen which is why we attended," said Innisfail RCMP Staff Sgt. Chris Matechuk, adding the suspect was previously known to local police. "This was excellent work by our members, and cooperation from local citizens of our town and this led to this successful investigation."
At about 11:45 a.m. on Dec. 4 Innisfail RCMP received a complaint of a "highly intoxicated" male at the Super 8 motel at 4704 - 42nd Ave.
Matechuk said arriving Mounties found the male inside the motel's lounge area. The local police chief said the male was found to be on court-ordered conditions that he not be in a licensed premise.
The male was arrested and was found to have a lanyard on his person with a key fob that belonged to a vehicle in the parking lot, said Matechuk.
He said the vehicle was confirmed to be stolen. The vehicle was searched and police discovered numerous suspected stolen items, as well as weapons and illegal substances. Matechuk said the substances included quantities of heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl. He said the seized weapons included a 12-gauge shotgun and a double-barrelled shotgun.
Kent Leigh Nichol, 39, of Red Deer County, has been charged with five counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, four counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm, seven counts of possession of a weapon dangerous to the public, 21 counts of possessing firearms and ammunition contrary to a prohibition order, possession of stolen property over $5,000, six counts of possession of stolen property under $5,000, possession of break-in tools, eight counts of breaching a probation order and four additional charges of illegally possessing identification documents.
Nichol was remanded in custody to appear in Red Deer provincial court on Dec. 11.
