Dozens of firearms charges for North Bedeque man

A North Bedeque man has pleaded not guilty to more than 30 firearm-related charges in Summerside provincial court recently.

Bryce Andy Ernest Arsenault, 46, was represented by Robert McNeill who said he could make it easy for the court.

“We’re going to plead not guilty on all charges.”

Judge Krista MacKay scheduled a pre-trial hearing for Oct. 28 with a trial set for Nov. 18.

Arsenault is charged with illegally transferring three handguns to another owner sometime between April 21 and 25.

The handguns in questions were a restricted Ruger .357 Magnum, a restricted Norinco .45-calibre semiautomatic pistol and a prohibited Smith & Wesson 9mm Luger semi-automatic pistol.

Then on April 25, Arsenault was charged with possessing 11 firearms without a licence.

Eight of the guns were nonrestricted long guns, two were restricted handguns, one was a prohibited handgun.

The firearms in question were a Lee-Enfield .303-calibre bolt-action rifle, a Lakefield/Mossberg 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, a Winchester 12-gauge pumpaction shotgun, a Cooey .22-calibre semi-automatic rifle, a CIL .410-bore singleshot shotgun, a Springfield 12-gauge bolt-action shotgun, a Browning .22-250 leveraction rifle, a Winchester .30.30 WN lever-action rifle, a restricted Ruger .357 magnum revolver, a restricted Norinco .45-calibre semiautomatic pistol and a prohibited Smith & Wesson 9mm Luger semi-automatic pistol.

Arsenault was also charged with two counts of possession of a 15round magazine without a licence.