Drug charges stayed against two Edmonton men
By Shurtz, Delon on February 12, 2020.
Delon Shurtz
lethbridge herald
Drug charges are no longer proceeding against two men who were arrested more than two years ago by ALERT Lethbridge’s organized crime team.
The two Edmonton men, Abel Gebeyehu and Brandon Ferguson, were each facing a charge of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking after police searched a vehicle Sept. 27, 2017, and raided a Lethbridge home in the 300 block of 13 Street South. Police reportedly seized cellphones, a small amount of marijuana, more than $8,000 in cash, and about 1.5 kilograms of crack cocaine, worth more than $150,000.
Gebeyehu was also facing a charge of possession of the proceeds of crime, but the charges against both men were stayed Monday by the federal Crown during a brief hearing in Lethbridge Court of Queen’s Bench.
A stay of proceeding may be ordered by the judge but is generally a decision by the Crown to discontinue prosecution. However, if a person whose charges are stayed is charged with new offences within one year of the stay, the Crown can prosecute the accused on the old charges.
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