No bail for woman facing multiple charges

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This article was published 16/10/2024 (417 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Brandon woman was denied bail in provincial court on Tuesday after allegedly being in a vehicle where police found nearly a quarter of a pound of crystal methamphetamine.

In addition to a drug trafficking charge, Tiffany Sokolowski faces charges for allegedly breaching her release order and theft of merchandise from Mark’s in the Corral Centre.

Both Crown attorneys representing the provincial government and the federal government opposed the woman’s release, arguing that she is unable to abide by court ordered conditions and is likely to re-offend.

The evidence for the charges was read to the court by the Crown attorneys.

On April 5, members of the Brandon Police Service conducted a traffic stop with an SUV in the 1200 block of 10th Street.

The driver was allegedly not wearing her seatbelt, and there were two other people in the vehicle.

Officers then noticed a used methamphetamine pipe in the back pocket of the driver’s seat, and all three people were arrested for possession of a controlled substance.

During a search of the vehicle, police found 3.5 ounces of crystal methamphetamine.

The driver, a woman, was released after her arrest on conditions including to abide by a curfew.

In September, police drove past a vehicle belonging to the woman that was parked in the 1200 block of Ninth Street. As they drove past, the officers noticed that the woman, who was inside the vehicle, appeared to try to conceal her face.

Officers found the woman in breach of her curfew. She was arrested and released again, this time placed on a 24-hour curfew.

Just a few days later, police are called for a report of a theft from Mark’s.

Store employees told police that two people left the store with about $1,500 worth of merchandise.

Police viewed video surveillance footage and identified the woman as one of the two people who had left the store with the merchandise.

Officers located the woman an hour and a half later in the 1200 block of Eighth Street. After her arrest, police located a wig, eyeglasses and a pink hoodie, which matched the attire of the woman in the video footage.

They also found garbage bags containing the clothing from Mark’s. Small baggies containing methamphetamine, totalling about seven grams, were also found.

The woman was released again on another set of conditions, including a 24-hour curfew. She was taken back into custody by police last week for allegedly breaching her curfew by being at Canadian Tire.

“The provincial Crown doesn’t see how any kind of bail plan would prevent the offending from continuing,” provincial Crown Sarah Kok said.

Sokolowski’s lawyer, Jonathan Richert, presented a bail plan that increased his client’s cash bail deposit to $1,000 and a 24-hour curfew.

The defence lawyer said that on her last release order, an exception for a few hours a week to buy essentials was not added, so his client was at Canadian Tire that evening to pick up essential items.

“I’m hopeful that (being in custody) will be a form of a lesson for her and given the step up in increased security (in the bail plan), we are asking Your Honour to consider a further release,” Richert said.

If the matter goes to trial, he added, there will be issues with the search of the SUV and proving who the meth belonged to as there were multiple people in the vehicle.

Judge Donovan Dvorak called the amount of meth “substantial” and underscored the impact of the drug on the community.

He raised concerns with the alleged theft occurring while she was on release for the drug allegations and ultimately, sided with the Crown.

“I don’t think she’s able or has the intention of following court orders,” Dvorak said, denying the woman bail. “(And) there’s no oversight proposed.”

Sokolowski’s matters will next appear in court on Nov. 14.

» gmortfield@brandonsun.com

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