Four remanded after armed police response at Ogden Street home in Thunder Bay

THUNDER BAY – NEWS – An armed police response at a south-side Thunder Bay home Friday morning has led to multiple violent crime, drug trafficking and weapons charges after officers allegedly found cocaine, cash, a handgun, ammunition and drug paraphernalia inside the residence.

The case is significant locally because it combines allegations of unlawful confinement, assault and drug trafficking in a residential neighbourhood. Our NetNewsLedger report confirmed a police presence on Ogden Street on March 27th.

Police response at Ogden Street home

TBPS officers were called to 228 Ogden St. at about 8:30 a.m. on Friday, March 27, after a male resident escaped the home, reported being assaulted and contacted police.

Officers surrounded the home and made a gunpoint entry about 9 a.m. Five people were detained and a female victim was rescued.

All accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Four people face charges, one person released without charge

35-year-old Lindberg Tim Baxter is charged with two counts of assault, unlawful confinement, possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, possession of proceeds of crime under $5,000, several firearm and ammunition offences, and four counts of possessing a firearm or ammunition contrary to a prohibition order.

Natasha Angel Michelle Meneano-Cheesequay, 34, is alleged to face charges including possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, possession of proceeds of crime under $5,000, weapons and ammunition offences, and breach of probation.

Jordan Beaudoin-Hagar, 36, is alleged to face two counts of assault, unlawful confinement, possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, possession of proceeds of crime under $5,000, several firearm and ammunition offences, and two counts of possessing a firearm or ammunition contrary to a prohibition order.

Becky Shannon Campbell, 36, is alleged to be charged with obstructing police.

Baxter, Meneano-Cheesequay, Beaudoin-Hagar and Campbell were all remanded into custody. A 41-year-old man who had been detained was released without charge.

What the charges mean under Canadian law

Common assault is defined in section 265 of the Criminal Code, with punishment set out in section 266. It generally covers the intentional application of force without consent, or attempts or threats to apply force. The offence is hybrid, meaning the Crown can proceed either by indictment or summarily, and the maximum penalty on indictment is five years in prison. Forcible or unlawful confinement is set out in section 279(2) and carries a maximum penalty of 10 years if prosecuted by indictment.

Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking falls under section 5(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Cocaine is a Schedule I substance, and the maximum penalty on indictment is life imprisonment. Possession of proceeds of crime under $5,000 is covered by section 354, with punishment under section 355; if the value is $5,000 or less, the maximum penalty is two years on indictment, or a summary-conviction sentence.

In general, unauthorized possession allegations involving a handgun, prohibited weapon or prohibited ammunition commonly proceed under section 91 or section 92 of the Criminal Code, depending on whether the Crown alleges the accused knew the possession was unauthorized. Section 91 carries a maximum penalty of five years if prosecuted by indictment. Section 92 is indictable only and carries a maximum of 10 years. Careless storage of a firearm or ammunition under section 86 carries a maximum of two years on a first indictable conviction, or five years for a second or subsequent indictable conviction.

Possession of a firearm, weapon or ammunition while prohibited by court order is covered by section 117.01 and carries a maximum of 10 years on indictment.

Obstructing a peace officer under section 129 is a hybrid offence with a maximum penalty of two years if prosecuted by indictment. Failing to comply with a probation order under section 733.1 is also hybrid and carries a maximum penalty of four years on indictment. In every case, the actual sentence depends on the facts proven in court, the Crown’s election, the offender’s record and the judge’s decision at sentencing.

Why this case matters in Thunder Bay

For Thunder Bay residents, the allegations are troubling because they point to violence, alleged confinement and a firearm in a residential area, alongside alleged cocaine trafficking.

The case also comes amid other recent Thunder Bay drug investigations in which police reported seizing illegal drugs, cash and weapons, underscoring the ongoing pressure such cases place on neighbourhood safety, front-line policing and the local court system