On June 27, 2022, members of the North Bay Police Service arrested and charged four individuals, including one Young Person, with drug trafficking offences connected to a RIDE spot check which took place at 2 a.m. on the Main Street/Lakeshore Drive overpass in North Bay.
Police the vehicle in which the accused individuals were traveling in, was stopped as part of this program.
During that stop, members of the North Bay Police Service determined one of the accused was wanted on outstanding warrants in North Bay. The accused was arrested and a search incident to arrest found an edged weapon concealed on the accused person.
A further police search of the vehicle found a quantity of suspected fentanyl. As a result, all accused were arrested and charged.
In total, searches by police resulted in the seizure of:
- Approximately 111 grams of suspected fentanyl
- Approximately 1 gram of suspected methamphetamine
- An edged weapon
- A quantity of Canadian currency
Police say the estimated street value of the drugs seized is approximately $66,000.
The accused in this incident are:
Jonathan Daniel Merrick, male, age 22 of Huntsville, Ontario, who is charged with:
- One count of Carrying concealed weapon
- One count of Possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of Trafficking
- One count of Fail to Comply with Probation Order
- One count of Obstruct Peace Officer
Jodie Newton, female, age 36 of North Bay, who is charged with:
- One count of Possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of Trafficking
Amelia Christine Paul, female, age 36 of Bear Island, Ontario, who is charged with:
- One count of Possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of Trafficking
A Young Person who is charged with:
- One count of Possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of Trafficking
- One count of Possession of a Schedule I Substance
- Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000
In accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the North Bay Police Service will not be releasing the name or any identifying information of the Young Person accused in this incident.
The four accused were held in custody pending a bail hearing at the North Bay Courthouse.
