Subject of motel raid released on bail

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on December 3, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

A 39-year-old Lethbridge man arrested following a police raid at a city motel last month, has been released from custody.
Jerome Ross, who appeared in court Thursday by CCTV from the Lethbridge Correctional Centre, was released on $500 bail with conditions he report by phone every week to the Lethbridge Police Service, not possess any weapons, obey a curfew between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. every day, reside at a specific Lethbridge residence and notify police of any change of address or employment.
Ross was arrested Nov. 4 after police raided the Superlodge motel on 7 Avenue South. They took two people into custody and seized cash, brass knuckles, a machete and $25,000 worth of methamphetamine, cocaine and prescription medication.
The accused is charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of stolen property, possession of a prohibited/restricted weapon and possession of a prohibited weapon while prohibited by an order. The other individual arrested at the time was released without charges.
Police have reportedly attended the Superlodge more than 50 times since August in response to complaints, including one in September about a shooting between a tenant of the motel and another man. An officer on patrol heard a gunshot, and shortly afterward police arrested a 27-year-old man. The nearby Ecole La Verendrye school was locked down as a precaution.
“We have received many concerns from neighbouring residents near this property with respect to criminal activity including drug trafficking by the tenants and spin off crimes such as drug use in residential alleys, suspicious people and property offences,” acting Staff Sgt. Trevor Sheppard said shortly after the latest incident. “We want to assure the community that we will continue to dedicate resources to target this activity.”
Ross is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 13, which the federal Crown hopes will provide enough time to receive a “substantial” amount of disclosure from ALERT, the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team. Ross also faces one charge of breach of probation, for which he returns to court on Dec. 16.

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