Red Deer investigation ends with 29 firearms seized and nearly 200 charges laid

A man and a woman are facing 198 total charges after a Red Deer RCMP investigation.

Police conducted search warrants at a storage locker in north Red Deer on Nov. 5 and at a home on Nov. 22. It resulted in the seizure of 29 firearms, including three shotguns, four crossbows, ammunition and stolen property, including dirt bikes, identity documents and electronics.

READ MORE: 2 suspected drug traffickers charged after Red Deer seizure

Police said the firearms were stored in a hockey bag, sleeping bag, a ski bag and gun cases. Investigators believe eight of the guns were stolen.

“In these two search warrants, we took 29 illegal guns out of the hands of criminals, that’s significant,” Red Deer RCMP Superintendent Ken Foster said.

“We broke up an organized network that relies on regular property crime activity for their livelihood. Guns are used by drug traffickers and feed into the cycle of criminality and violence that accompany the drug trade.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We broke up an organized network that relies on regular property crime activity for their livelihood. Guns are used by drug traffickers and feed into the cycle of criminality and violence that accompany the drug trade."

Police said the two dirt bikes seized were also stolen, while an investigation into the other property found in the search warrants.

READ MORE: 2 charged with fentanyl trafficking between Calgary and central Alberta

Andrew Scott Charpentier, 25, faces 100 charges in connection to the two search warrants.

He appeared in court Dec. 5 and is scheduled to appear in court again on Tuesday.

Kelsey Pearl Trope, 25, faces 98 charges. She’s scheduled to appear in court Tuesday on one of the search warrants and Dec. 19 on the second warrant.

Foster said both Trope and Charpentier are well known to police.

READ MORE: Warrant issued after counterfeit cash and guns seized in Red Deer

Red Deer Mayor Tara Veer said the city is experiencing a dynamic to local crime that it has never experienced; in particular, residents are frustrated with the high number of property theft.

“When you see that as a result of two prolific offenders there were 198 charges laid and you see the seizure of the illegal weapons that are the result of two individuals, I think it speaks to the magnitude of what our community is faced with,” Veer said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "When you see that as a result of two prolific offenders there were 198 charges laid and you see the seizure of the illegal weapons that are the result of two individuals, I think it speaks to the magnitude of what our community is faced with," Veer said.

Red Deer RCMP said the investigation was part of a larger strategy to arrest and charge prolific offenders.