Two Okotoks residents have been arrested by Calgary Police for dealing the deadly drug fentanyl, including one who is believed to be connected to May 2015 overdose death.
The charges stem from an investigation launched by Calgary Police in July 2015 into fentanyl distribution after receiving multiple tips through Crimestoppers.
Staff Stg. Martin Schiavetta, with the Calgary Police drug unit, said the accused was very active dealing the drug.
“The information we received from Crimestoppers is that at the peak of his distributing it was in the hundreds of tablets,” he said.
The tips also claimed the accused provided fentanyl to a male in Calgary who died in May 2015.
Schiavetta said Fentanyl is an extremely dangerous drug, and even a small amount can be toxic. There were 90 deaths as a result of the drug in the Calgary area in 2015.
“You can’t experiment with fentanyl because your first tablet may be your last tablet,” said Schiavetta.
On Dec. 14, Innisfail RCMP responded to a report of a man behaving strangely who provided false vehicle information. Upon arrival, police found evidence of drug-related activity and identified one man believed to be involved. Calgary Police was called in to join the RCMP’s investigation because it was already following into the man’s activities.
Police found the man had a safe with him, which contained $30,000 in cash, bundled in packs of $1,000 each. After a vehicle search, police seized almost $36,000, 46 fentanyl tablets and five grams of cocaine.
Police believe the man was dealing fentanyl in a number of central Alberta communities, including Calgary, Cochrane, Okotoks, Chestermere, Strathmore, Claresholm and High River.
The investigation continued and on Jan. 28, Calgary police arrested the man and a female after in Calgary after pulling over their vehicle in the Deer Run area. A search of the car uncovered $355 cash, 61 fentanyl pills, 0.8 grams of cocaine, 1.6 grams of heroin and multiple cell phones.
Brian Crane, 26, of Okotoks, faces a list of charges, including with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of proceeds of crime, with two counts of trafficking in fentanyl, two counts of possession of property obtained by crime, possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking, possession of heroin and possession of cocaine.
Rachael Chafe, 19, of Okotoks, is charged with trafficking in fentanyl, possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking, possession of heroin and possession of cocaine.
Both are scheduled to appear in Calgary court on Feb. 17
Calgary Police are thanking the public for providing information in this case.
“It wouldn’t have been successful without the help of the public identifying this person being responsible for distributing fentanyl in Calgary, but other Alberta communities,” said Schiavetta.
