Wanted male with handgun arrested by RCMP in Cold Lake

Police in Cold lake have seized a loaded 40 calibre handgun as well as suspected methamphetamine and suspected cocaine.

On Monday May 3, members from the Cold Lake RCMP Detachment, Cold Lake Police Dog Service (PDS) and the Lakeland Crime Reduction Unit (LCRU) responded to a report of suspicious activity on a rural farm property near Highway 55 in Cold Lake.

Police attended the scene and located two male suspects who were trespassing on the property. Police spoke with the suspects and discovered that one of the males was wanted on an outstanding arrest Warrant and had provided Police with a false name.

A high risk arrest was conducted and both suspects were taken into custody without further incident. During a pat down search of one of the suspects, Police located and seized a loaded 40  calibre handgun as well as suspected methamphetamine and suspected cocaine.

James Robert Dean Lees, 23, of Cold Lake was charged with the following offences:

• Possession of a firearm while prohibited;
• Careless use of a firearm;
• Carrying a concealed firearm while unauthorized;
• Possession of a restricted firearm without a licence;
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose;
• Fail to comply with weapons prohibition;
• Possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking;
• Obstruction/Resist Arrest;
• Mischief;
• Fail to comply with Release Order x13;
• Fail to comply with Probation Order.

Lees was held for a bail hearing where he was remanded into Police custody by a Justice of the Peace. Lees is scheduled to appear in Cold Lake Provincial Court via CCTV on May 6, 2021.

The other male suspect, who cannot be named as an Information has not been sworn, was charged with the following offences:

• Mischief;
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

The male suspect was released by Police on an Undertaking with conditions and is scheduled to appear in Cold Lake Provincial Court on July 14, 2021.