Crown Counsel has stayed 45 charges against three individuals in connection with a seizure of weapons, disguises and explosive devices during a traffic stop in Williams Lake on Dec. 14, 2016.
In Williams Lake Provincial Court Thursday, Tye Christopher Jones and Dyami Diana Rickman were facing 13 charges each and James Richard Juke was facing 19 charges.
The charges ranged from possession of explosives with intent to cause bodily harm, possession of a controlled substance to possession of an authorized firearm and possession of a break-in instrument.
Crown stayed all of the charges Thursday.
In a written response, Alisia Adams with the BC Prosecution Service said “Crown directed a stay of proceedings against Jones, Juke and Rickman because after considering all the available material in light of newly-received evidence, Crown counsel determined that there was no longer a substantial likelihood of conviction against them.”
The Charge Assessment Guidelines applied by the BC Prosecution Service in reviewing all reports to Crown Counsel are established by policy, Adams added.
Read More: Charge Assessment Guidelines
On Friday, Williams Lake RCMP Insp. Jeff Pelley said the RCMP are aware of Crown Counsel’s decision on the charges, but confirmed that police are continuing their investigation into the matter.
“We are still actively investigating these offences where there could be a re-submission of evidence,” Pelley told the Tribune.
Following the arrests of Jones, Rickman and Juke in December 2016, a press release was issued by the RCMP on the matter stating they believed they had thwarted a violent act from happening in the community.
At the time, Insp. Pelley said officers were responding to an unrelated call within city limits when they witnessed suspicious activity in a vehicle and pulled the vehicle over.
Further investigation determined the vehicle contained potentially explosive devices identified as pipe bombs, and the RCMP immediately engaged the Explosive Disposal Unit to ensure the safe disposal of the pipe bombs, he said.
“It will remain a priority for our detachment and officers to proactively target violent offenders within this community,” Pelley said in the press release. “There is no doubt that this arrest and seizure prevented a violent act from happening therefore making the community safer.”
The arrests and subsequent charges of Juke, Jones and Rickman came a week after the RCMP had deemed two separate mobile home fires at the Lakeside Mobile Home Park on Broadway Avenue as suspicious.
One of those fires claimed the lives of two people.