Drug bust suspect may resolve charges without trial

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on October 7, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

The lawyer for a Lethbridge man charged with several criminal offences following a police raid earlier this year is hoping to resolve the matter without a trial.

During a brief hearing Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court, Frank Llewellyn told the judge he had requested an early case resolution proposal from the Crown’s office and is waiting for a response before taking the next step.

Llewellyn represents Brandon Douglas Rourke, who is charged with two other people relating to a police bust Feb. 8 when police, sheriffs and the tactical unit raided a home in the 500 block of 19 Street South and a commercial business bay in the 1700 block of 31 Street North.

The suspects were arrested without incident, and during a search of the properties police seized about $3,000 worth of drugs, including 34 grams of methamphetamine and 2.2 grams of psilocybin (mushrooms). Police also seized three firearms and ammunition, $1,900 in cash, considered the proceeds of crime, and suspected stolen property, including a motorcycle and another vehicle with a total value of about $2,400.

Rourke, 35, is charged with two counts each of drug possession, possession of a firearm knowing possession is unauthorized and careless use/storage of a firearm, and single counts of possession of stolen property and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. He was released after a judicial interim release hearing but failed to attend court twice in March and warrants were issued for his arrest.

During Thursday’s hearing the Crown agreed to return to Rourke a Kawasaki motorcycle and a 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee, both of which had been seized by police during their investigation.

Christina Lynn Guest and Travis Robert Taylor were also charged in relation to the police bust.

Taylor, 31, is charged with drug possession, possession of stolen property, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, careless use of a firearm, possession of a firearm knowing possession is unauthorized, and two counts of failure to comply with conditions of an undertaking.

Taylor had also disappeared after his initial release from custody following his arrest, but he was picked up in July and has been in custody ever since.

Taylor faces unrelated charges of flight from a peace officer and unlawful confinement, to which he pleaded not guilty Friday. Those charges were adjourned to the case management office today to set a trial date. The charges on which he is accused with Rourke and Guest return to court Nov. 1, along with Rourke’s charges.

Guest, 36, was charged with two counts of drug possession, possession of stolen property, two counts of careless use of a firearm, and two counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. She was released from custody after a judicial interim release hearing with an initial court appearance for March 10, during which she was represented by duty counsel. She failed to attend court March 30 and a warrant was issued for her arrest. She remains at warrant.

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