Man pleads not guilty to trafficking-related charges

A not-guilty plea was entered Thursday by a man arrested in early January on drug trafficking-related charges.

Acting for Jeremy Leddy, counsel entered the plea to one count of trafficking and one count of possession of proceeds of crime. The trial is set for October.

The 29-year-old from Calgary was one of five people arrested following an investigation by the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams that spanned from December into January.

From this investigation, ALERT seized 45 grams of meth, worth an estimated $4,500, packaging materials such as a digital scale, pepper spray, brass knuckles, a Colt Python .357 handgun and $820 cash proceeds of crime.

Also arrested during this investigation was Wyatt Dickson, who also had a court appearance Thursday, with his counsel adjourning to March 2.

Dickson was charged with five counts of trafficking, two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, possessing proceeds of crime, possessing a prohibited weapon, possessing a restricted firearm, and careless storage of a firearm. Another co-accused, Etheen Joseph Friesen, 33, entered guilty pleas to the charges on Jan. 26. and was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail.

Kenzie Anderson, 28, entered guilty pleas and was sentenced Jan. 19 to time served for breaches of release.

The fifth accused, Jade Arcand, 19, of Medicine Hat, still faces charges before the court. Arcand was charged with two counts of possessing a prohibited weapon, possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of proceeds of crime, careless storage of a firearm, and knowingly possessing a restricted firearm.