Accused awaits bail ruling in white powder incidents
The woman facing 83 charges in connection with several white powder scares and bomb threats in Saskatoon is “relentless and just will not stop,” says a Crown prosecutor.
Alexa Emerson, who also goes by the name Amanda Totchek, was arrested in November and accused of sending packages containing white powder to five Saskatoon businesses.
She was granted bail in January and then arrested again in April to face an additional 54 charges, including mischief and identity theft, in connection with bomb threats and additional white powder scares.
She has been in custody for the last two months.
Emerson’s bail hearing began Wednesday morning in Saskatoon provincial court and is scheduled to continue Friday afternoon.
The evidence shared at the bail hearing is subject to a publication ban.
Crown prosecutor Jennifer Claxton-Viczko said Emerson should not be released on bail.
“It’s my view that no amount of money or conditions is going to keep her from continuing to harass the people that she’s been harassing and from continuing to wreak havoc on the community,” she told reporters outside court.
Claxton-Viczko said the financial toll of the white powder scares and bomb threats last fall and this spring exceeds $200,000 when you factor in the emergency response and lost business time.
There has also been a human toll; a suspicious package sent to the Royal University Hospital’s cancer centre prevented some patients from getting treatment that day.
“There’s just so much impact on the community — not just financially, but certainly financially, and psychologically on the various people,” Claxton-Viczko said.
Emerson is now represented by Patrick McDougall, the fourth lawyer in seven months to take her case.
She was initially represented by Brian Pfefferle, but he withdrew after she was accused of sending a white powder package to his office in March.
Two other lawyers have also stepped away from the case.