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13 accused in Coutts blockade weapons charges appear in court

Click to play video: 'Alberta border protest blockade clears after police seize weapons'
Alberta border protest blockade clears after police seize weapons
After 18 days of disrupting a Canada-U.S. border crossing, anti-COVID mandate protesters have dispersed their blockade near Coutts, Alberta. As Heather Yourex-West reports, the sudden end comes after charges were laid by police, over a seized cache of deadly weapons linked to the demonstrations. -- Feb 15, 2022 – Feb 15, 2022

Thirteen people involved in the Coutts border blockade had their court hearings adjourned until March 28.

All 13 are currently facing charges of possession of a weapon and mischief to property over $5,000.

Anthony Olienick, Chris Carbert, Christopher Lysak and Jerry Mitchell Morin were also charged with conspiracy to murder.

Carbert, Morin and Olienick remain in custody by consent. They have not had their bail hearings yet.

Lysak was also charged with uttering threats and has been denied bail.

Ursula Allred, Luke Berk, Johnson Chichow Law, Joanne Person, Justin Martin, Eastin Oler, Evan Colenutt, Jaclyne Martin and Janx Zaremba were all released on bail with conditions last month.

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All made virtual appearances in a Lethbridge court Tuesday morning.

This comes after an early morning raid on Feb. 14 where RCMP found a cache of 13 long guns, handguns, body armour, large amounts of ammunition and high-capacity magazines in three trailers.

Click to play video: 'Weapons and ammunition seized at border blockade in Coutts, Alberta'
Weapons and ammunition seized at border blockade in Coutts, Alberta

Police alleged the group was willing to use force if the blockade was disrupted, according to an RCMP press release published that day.

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Chief Supt. Trevor Daroux, officer-in-charge of the Southern Alberta District, said RCMP discovered a small group of armed protestors were taking part in the blockade a few days into the protest.

RCMP officers were targets of the alleged conspirators, according to Daroux.

“We took immediate action, arresting and charging a number of individuals,” he said on Feb. 14.

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Click to play video: 'Trucker protests: Organizer Tamara Lich released on bail'
Trucker protests: Organizer Tamara Lich released on bail

The full list of people and their charges, according to court documents:

Ursula Allred, 22, Magrath

  • mischief to property over $5,000
  • possession of a weapon

Luke Berk, 62, Red Deer

  • mischief to property over $5,000
  • possession of a weapon

Chris Carbert, 44, Lethbridge

  • conspiracy to murder
  • possession of a weapon
  • mischief to property over $5,000

Evan Colenutt, 23, Raymond

  • mischief to property over $5,000
  • Possession of a weapon

Johnson Law, 39, Calgary

  • possession of a weapon
  • mischief to property over $5,000

Christopher Lysak, 48, Lethbridge

  • conspiracy to murder
  • possession of a weapon
  • mischief to property over $5,000
  • uttering threats

Jaclyne Martin, 39

  • possession of a weapon
  • mischief to property over $5,000

Justin Martin, 22, Raymond

  • possession of a weapon
  • mischief to property over $5,000

Jerry Morin, 40

  • conspiracy to murder
  • possession of a weapon
  • mischief to property over $5,000

Stewart Eastin Oler, 22, Raymond

  • possession of a weapon
  • mischief to property over $5,000

Anthony Olienick, 39, Claresholm

  • conspiracy to murder
  • possession of a weapon
  • mischief to property over $5,000

Joanne Person, 62, Coutts

  • possession of a weapon
  • mischief to property over $5,000

Janx Zaremba, 18, Raymond

  • possession of a weapon
  • mischief to property over $5,000

— with files from Liam Nixon, Global News.

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