Winnipeg police have charged a 12-year-old boy with dealing crack cocaine, following a raid Wednesday that netted several other suspects.
Police moved in on the Manitoba Housing Complex on Langside Street around 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
“That’s sad,” said neighbour Amanda Wall, “I wouldn’t want to see my son doing something like that.”
Wall has a 10-year-old boy and was shocked to hear the age of the young suspect.
Twelve is the youngest age at which someone can be charged. It appears it isn’t the child suspect’s first brush with the law. He is also charged with failing to comply with the conditions of an undertaking, meaning a previous court order governing his behaviour.
Officers confirmed later Thursday that the child has had previous criminal charges but wouldn’t go into detail.
In a news release, police say an on going drug dealing investigation led them to the home in the 500 block of Langside Street. Officers executed a search warrant and found “crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia and $1241.00 in Canadian currency.”
Neighbours Mona and Kayla, didn’t want to give their last names, say they were home when heavily armed officers showed up unexpectedly.
“As I came outside I saw the goon squad with their ramming bars,” said Mona, “yelling ‘Winnipeg Police’, banging on that door and I just rushed back inside the house.”
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The pair said they’re friends with the 33-year-old woman who lives alone in the house.
“We knew it was going on,” said Kayla, “but it’s not our business, what happened in that house, stayed in that house.”
Winnipeg police spokesman Const. Eric Hofley called the case “rather disturbing, not because he’s 12 years old, but this also involved adults assisting.”
Const. Hofley says the 12-year-old boy did not live in the home and was not related to any of the other suspects.
“It is unusual, often young kids are recruited to perhaps run drugs from one place to another,” said Hofley, “you might hear them referenced as mulls, but to actively be trafficking a narcotic such as cocaine, very rare.”
Neighbours say justice officials attempted to evict the woman several times, but she wasn’t home.
Six people were arrested, including the twelve year old boy and two adult women.
Diana Dawn CATCHEWAY 28 years of Winnipeg has been charged with:
• Possessing substance for purposes of trafficking – COCAINE
• Possess Proceeds of Crime
CATCHEWAY was also processed on an outstanding Canada Wide Warrant for Parole Revocation.
She has been detained in custody at the Provincial Remand Centre.
Bobbi Lynn LUND 33 years of Winnipeg has been charged with:
• Possessing substance for purposes of trafficking – COCAINE
• Possess Proceeds of Crime
She has been detained in custody at the Provincial Remand Centre.
A 17 year old male of Winnipeg has been charged with:
• Possessing substance for purposes of trafficking – COCAINE
• Possess Proceeds of Crime
• Fail to Comply with Condition Undertaking
He has been detained in custody at the Manitoba Youth Centre.
A 16 year old female of Winnipeg has been charged with:
• Possessing substance for purposes of trafficking – COCAINE
• Possess Proceeds of Crime
• Failure to comply with sentence x 2
She has been detained in custody at the Manitoba Youth Centre.
A 12 year old male of Winnipeg has been charged with:
• Trafficking in controlled drug or substance – COCAINE
• Possess Proceeds of Crime
• Fail to Comply Conditions Undertaking
He has been detained in custody at the Manitoba Youth Centre.
An 18 year old male of Winnipeg is facing charges of:
• Possessing substance for purposes of trafficking – COCAINE
• Possess Proceeds of Crime
He was released on a Promise to Appear.
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