(ESPANOLA, ON) – Three people are facing charges after a traffic stop on Highway 6 in Espanola.
On January 20, 2025, at approximately 5:45 p.m., the Manitoulin Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were conducting general patrol on Highway 6 in the Town of Espanola, when they were alerted to a stolen license plate by the Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) system. A traffic stop was initiated, and the three occupants of the vehicle were arrested.
Additionally, police seized approximately 9g of suspected cocaine, with an estimated street value of $900, approximately .20g of suspected fentanyl, with an estimated street value of $60, approximately $5,000 of Canadian currency, an axe and a knife.
As a result, the driver, Adrian ABEL, 51-years-old from Sudbury, was charged with:
- Operation while impaired – drugs
- Possession of property obtained by Crime under $5,000
- Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5,000
- Possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose
- Possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking – cocaine
- Use plate not authorized for vehicle
- Driving while under suspension
- Driving motor vehicle with liquor readily available
- Drive – no insurance
The passenger, Timothy THERRIEN, 52-years-old from Dokis First Nation, was charged with:
- Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000
- Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5,000
- Possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose
- Possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking
The second passenger, Josephine CORBIERE, 48-years-old from M’Chigeeng First Nation, was charged with:
- Obstruct Peace Officer
- Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000
- Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000
- Possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose
- Possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking – cocaine
- Personation with intent to avoid arrest, prosecution or obstruct justice
The three accused are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Espanola on March 10, 2025.
All OPP patrol vehicles are equipped with ALPR technology. ALPR has proven to be an effective way to increase the efficiency of discovering and conducting investigations related to both traffic and criminal offences. It does so by detecting licence plates that are linked to occurrences such as wanted or missing persons, stolen vehicles, stolen and unattached plates, suspended/prohibited drivers, vehicles associated with AMBER Alerts and other serious occurrences.
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