One arrest leads to another for street crime unit

Wednesday was a busy, and productive, day for the Niagara Regional Police St. Catharines street crime unit.

Officers caught up with a suspect they were searching for at a motel in Burlington. During the arrest, police said, the officers found 12 grams of crystal methamphetamine and arrested both the suspect and a woman with him on drug trafficking charges.

In the midst of that investigation, a vehicle occupied by three men associated with the suspect arrived.

The three men in the vehicle were initially placed under arrest for possessing a controlled substance.

A search of the vehicle revealed a much larger quantity of crystal methamphetamine and other drugs.

In all, police found 292 grams of crystal methamphetamine as well as psilocybin, prescription medication and marijuana in the vehicle.

In total, police report they seized drugs worth more than $58,000 as well as $650 in cash.

Jamie Westlake, 53, of St. Catharines, the original suspect, is charged with driving while disqualified, possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of proceeds of crime under $5,000 and failure to comply with probation. Lisa Blake-Knox, 34, of St. Catharines was charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and was released by police on a promise to appear in court.

Westlake was held in custody pending a bail hearing Friday.

The men in the vehicle — Tyler Galway, 19; Dominik Viau, 27; and Michael Perry, 27, all of Niagara — face charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking

The search for Westlake began Feb. 21 when uniform patrol officers were called to investigate an assault at an apartment complex on Lake Street in St. Catharines near midnight.

A 37-year-old man was found to have suffered minor injuries after a confrontation with two suspects armed with a weapon.

Police believe he was targeted, and a warrant was sought for Westlake and another suspect, Reid Dyson, 23, of St. Catharines.