Accused cocaine dealer released on bail

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This article was published 22/12/2023 (741 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A woman facing charges for allegedly cooking and trafficking cocaine after a Brandon Police Service drug bust last year was released on bail Thursday.

Madison Grace Young, 32, made a successful bid for bail in provincial court, despite opposition from the federal Crown, who argued against Young’s release. Young is facing numerous charges, including weapons offences, drug trafficking charges, and charges for failing to comply with release orders.

The charges against Young have not been proven in court and she remains innocent until proven guilty.

Federal Crown attorney Matthew Sinclair read the evidence for the charges in court.

In January 2022, members of Brandon Police Service’s organized crime unit received information from a confidential informant that a woman was trafficking cocaine. They obtained a search warrant which was executed on the woman’s Brandon home in March 2022.

In the woman’s shoes, officers found a bag containing about seven and a half grams of cocaine. They also found 17 rocks of crack cocaine. Police also found several items used for cooking and selling crack cocaine like measuring cups, baking soda, blow torches, and an ice maker.

Drug packaging materials were also found as well as weapons, including bear mace, a hatchet and an airsoft pistol.

Sinclair said the woman was released with a court appearance scheduled, but did not attend court. In December, she came into contact with police again, when they were investigating an unrelated matter and found out that the woman was in breach of her curfew.

During a search after her arrest, police found her in possession of four bags of cocaine (totalling two grams) and a bag of close to two grams of methamphetamine.

The woman was released again but was on and off warrant status for failing to appear in court and not being at an address she was supposed to be during curfew checks. One time, she tried to run from police when they asked her to put her hands behind her back to arrest her.

Sinclair argued against Young’s release, citing all three grounds to keep her behind bars, including ensuring that she will attend court, that she won’t reoffend, and to maintain the public’s confidence in the justice system.

“She has no interest in coming to court or complying with conditions,” Sinclair said, adding that not coming to court has disrupted the progress of Young’s charges through the court system.

Young’s defence lawyer, Myles Davis, disagreed with the Crown that keeping his client behind bars was necessary to ensure public confidence in the justice system. He presented a bail plan that he argued was strict enough to ensure that his client would attend court to deal with her charges.

The defence lawyer said his client would live with her sister at a home in Brandon, abide by a strict curfew, and offer a $3,000 cash bail.

Judge John Combs said the main concern for Young’s release seemed to be whether she would attend court or not. The judge said in order to be released, her bail plan would have to be “rock solid,” and decided to grant the woman bail with a tight curfew and a condition to report to Brandon police every week.

“You need to know that this is likely your last chance to remain in the community,” he said.

Young’s matters will next appear in Brandon federal court on Jan. 11.

» gmortfield@brandonsun.com

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