A man and a woman face a total of 84 criminal charges related to stolen and counterfeit credit cards after a Priority Crimes Task Force investigation that began in early March and culminated in a search warrant at a Sylvan Lake residence where RCMP seized credit card counterfeiting items and stolen credit cards. The investigation and search warrant were executed collaboratively by Red Deer and Sylvan Lake RCMP.
Shortly before 9:30 a.m. on March 16th, RCMP executed the search warrant at a residence on Sylvan Dr. and took four people into custody without incident. During the search, RCMP seized a number of stolen credit cards, cheques, identity documents, what is believed to be methamphetamine, and a shotgun. With regard to the counterfeit investigation, RCMP seized numerous electronics and items consistent with counterfeit and forgery activities, including a credit card embossing machine and a card printer.
RCMP then spent more hours investigating the origin of the items seized to determine which were stolen and which may be forgeries in order to lay the appropriate charges. A number of the credit cards and identity documents had been stolen after they were left in vehicles that were subsequently broken into, in central Alberta and beyond.
James Johnstone Jardine, 42, was wanted on six outstanding warrants for fraud under $5,000 at the time of his arrest and now faces 43 further charges.
Those charges include three counts of possession of instrument used for forging credit cards, forgery of credit card, seven counts of forgery, unauthorized possession of a firearm, careless use of a firearm, 28 counts of possession of stolen property under $5,000 and two counts of failing to comply with probation.
Rachel Jean Meyerink, 46, was wanted on an outstanding warrant at the time of her arrest and faces the following 41 additional charges including three counts of possession of an instrument used for forging credit cards, forgery of credit card, seven counts of forgery, unauthorized possession of a firearm, careless use of a firearm and 28 counts of possession of stolen property under $5,000.
Chance Tosh Murananka, 44, faces the charges of possession of Schedule I substance (methamphetamine) and failing to comply with conditions.
Travis Jeremy Murananka, 41, has already appeared in court and been sentenced on the charges including possession of stolen property under $5,000 and failing to comply with conditions.
-Submitted by Red Deer RCMP