Jasper resident Theodore Vena is in custody after failing to appear in court to face drug charges laid last December.
Vena, who is charged with trafficking cocaine, possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime, was found in British Columbia this week, after the RCMP extended its warrant beyond Alberta's borders.
As well as his previous charges, he will now also face charges for breaching his release conditions and failing to appear in court.
He was taken into custody April 2 and will soon be transferred to Edmonton, where he will face another interim release hearing to determine if he will be granted bail or remain in custody until his trial.
Vena first faced a judge Jan. 22. During his brief appearance, Judge L. E. Nemirsky granted the Jasperite more time to hire a lawyer and review the facts of his case. He was supposed to return for election and plea Feb. 26. When he didn’t show up on that day, the judge issued a warrant for his arrest, at the request of the federal prosecutor.
Vena's charges stem from a December drug bust executed by the Jasper and Hinton RCMP detachments, along with the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams. He was charged along with five others—including four from Hinton—and arrested as a result of a two-week operation targeting street-level drug traffickers in the two towns.
Donald Roop, the other Jasperite charged in relation to the drug bust, last appeared in court Feb. 12, where he pleaded not guilty. Roop elected to have his case heard by a provincial court judge July 9.
Nicole Veerman
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