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Alleged gang member from N.B. accused of taking police on 150-km chase denied bail

An alleged Westside Outlaws street gang member from North Battleford was denied bail. Tonia Cantel, 22, had a show cause hearing before Judge Kim Young in Lloydminster Provincial Court Jan. 21.
Cantel
Multiple RCMP detachments teamed up to arrest five alleged Westside gang members who took police on a 150-km, two-hour chase Nov. 20, 2020. A search of the stolen grey Honda they were in, resulted in the seizure of a sawed-off modified rifle, ammunition, a machete, a BB pistol and several knives. Police also located gang paraphernalia including a red paisley bandana. (RCMP photo)

An alleged Westside Outlaws street gang member from North Battleford was denied bail.

Tonia Cantel, 22, had a show cause hearing before Judge Kim Young in Lloydminster Provincial Court Jan. 21.

Crown Prosecutor Liam Fitz-Gerald, from North Battleford, told the court he opposed Cantel’s release. Defence Andrew Lyster from the Battlefords Area Legal Aid Office represented Cantel. The evidence presented and submissions made during the show cause hearing can’t be published.

Cantel has been at Pine Grove Correctional Centre for women in Prince Albert since she was arrested on Nov. 20, 2020. She is charged with theft of a vehicle, numerous firearms-related offences, endangering the safety of the public, and flight from police.

Cantel, and four others, are accused of taking RCMP on a 150-kilometre, two-hour chase from Lashburn to north of Paradise Hill. Her co-accused include Juanita Wahpistikwan, 21, from Big Island Cree Nation, Kyle Lajimodiere from Cold Lake, Alta., and two young offenders who can’t be named in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

When police searched the stolen vehicle they found a sawed-off modified rifle, ammunition, a machete, a BB pistol and several knives. Police also located gang paraphernalia including a red paisley bandana. RCMP said the five are members of Westside Outlaws street gang.

Wahpistikwan was scheduled to appear in Lloydminster Provincial Court on Jan. 21 but her lawyer, Brian Pfefferle, asked the court to waive her attendance and adjourn the matter until Jan. 28. Wahpistikwan remains in custody at Pine Grove Correctional Centre.

Lajimodiere is scheduled to appear in Lloydminster Provincial Court on Jan. 26 to speak to his matter.

The charges against the accused haven’t been proven in court.

If you are associated with a gang and want to leave it, contact STR8 UP in northern Saskatchewan at 306-763-3001, STR8 UP in central Saskatchewan at 306-244-1771, or Regina Treaty Status Indian Services in southern Saskatchewan at 306-522-7494 to get assistance.