NORTH BATTLEFORD – A man who was charged after Spiritwood RCMP issued a dangerous persons alert is headed to prison.
On Thursday in North Battleford Provincial Court, 32-year-old Shane Witchekan was sentenced to four years in prison on a robbery charge. The remaining 11 weapons and breach offences were stayed. With credit for time served in pre-trial custody, Witchekan had 1,122 days left to serve as of April 20.
Shane Witchekan and his brother, Kelly Witchekan, were arrested after a person was robbed at gunpoint on Sept. 2, 2022. They were charged with assault with a weapon, having a sawed-off .22 rifle, and prohibited firearms related offences.
On Sept. 2, 2022, at approximately 12:51 a.m., Spiritwood RCMP had received a report of shots fired on Witchekan Lake First Nation. Witnesses told police that a man in a grey Pontiac was shooting at a driver in a white Ford vehicle. While officers investigated the incident later that day, a vehicle fled from police. Two occupants abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot into the bush. With the assistance of Police Dog Services (PDS) and the RCMP Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT), a 31-year-old Dallas Sakebow of Witchekan Lake First Nation was arrested.
Officers from the Spiritwood Detachment, along with additional RCMP resources including RCMP Police Dog Services (PDS) and the RCMP CIRT, assisted with locating more individuals involved.
On Sept. 5, 2022, at about 7:30 a.m., Spiritwood RCMP received a report of a stolen black Nissan SUV. About two hours later, Spiritwood RCMP got a call that people in a black Nissan SUV had stolen gas from a gas station in Leoville. All occupants were reported to be wearing masks. Police received another report stating an occupant of a black Nissan SUV shot a firearm in the direction of a resident in the neighbourhood. The resident left the scene with no reported injuries.
All available officers from the Spiritwood RCMP along with additional RCMP resources including PDS, ERT and CIC, were called to locate the black Nissan SUV and RCMP issued a dangerous persons emergency alert to all residents in the Witchekan Lake First Nation and surrounding areas, urging them to seek immediate shelter.
Shane Witchekan was also charged in March 2022 after Spiritwood RCMP officers saw two suspicious vehicles outside a home on Witchekan Lake First Nation. Police obtained a search warrant and raided the home. They seized seven firearms, three prohibited weapons, 32.5 grams of suspected crack cocaine, 23.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine, 105 grams of an unknown substance, drug trafficking paraphernalia and cash.
In the March 2022 incident, the charges against Shane Witchekan were stayed in Spiritwood circuit court.
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