No bail for man accused of having sawed-off rifle

A man facing charges for being in possession of a loaded sawed-off rifle was denied bail in Brandon provincial court on Friday.

Sedrick Roulette, 42, is charged with several weapon-related offences, including possessing a loaded and prohibited firearm, along with assault and several counts of breaching his prohibition order.

The Crown opposed Roulette’s release, arguing he was likely to reoffend, wouldn’t show up to his court appearances and that his detention was necessary to maintain the public’s confidence in the administration of justice.

Easton Lacey, an articling student with the Crown attorney’s office, detailed the allegations, which haven’t been proven in court.

On March 18, the Brandon Police Service received a call from an employee at Dollarama on 18th Street, who said there were multiple people on the premises “causing problems.”

When police arrived, they found three people standing outside the store, two of whom had stolen items from Dollarama on them, Lacey said.

Police saw the third person, Roulette, placing a backpack on the other side of the building, she said.

“When he was first questioned, he stated it wasn’t his, but then ultimately claimed the backpack was his,” Lacey said.

Police searched the bag and found a 30-30 lever-action Winchester rifle, she said, and while police were in the process of making the firearm safe, a live bullet ejected.

Officers also found a Winchester Model 11 air pistol and bear spray, court heard.

Roulette was arrested, and while searching him, police found three additional bullets in his pockets, she said.

Lacey said Roulette is on two lifetime firearm and weapons prohibitions along with an undertaking with a condition not to possess a firearm, which stems from an assault charge that he is facing.

Prior to the firearm allegations, in May 2024, a woman went to BPS headquarters and reported an assault. She alleged that Roulette “struck her above her left eye with his right-hand multiple times,” Lacey said.

“There were visible minor injuries to her eye, along with a bump on her head.”

Roulette was arrested in Sioux Valley Dakota Nation later that month and subsequently released on an undertaking. Roulette didn’t attend court in relation to other charges, which have since been stayed, so a warrant was issued for his arrest, Lacey said.

He surrendered in June 2025 and was released on an appearance notice.

Lacey brought the court’s attention to Roulette’s criminal record, which includes seven assault convictions and 34 breaches.

“Mr. Roulette is a chronic offender. He is someone who’s going to commit further criminal offences, and I don’t think his record leaves us in any doubt that the charges before the court raise a … concern for the safety of the community,” Lacey said.

Any charges involving illegal possession of firearms are serious, and the fact that it was a loaded and prohibited firearm showed he was an “immense” risk to public safety, Lacey said.

“If convicted, a member of (the) Brandon (community), knowing that someone, regardless of the criminal record or not, who’s found with an item like this, who’s being released on bail, would have serious questions about the administration of justice,” she said.

Defence lawyer Anthony Dawson said that while his client didn’t have any money to put down for bail, he had an address in Brandon where he would be willing to live under a 24-hour curfew, aside from pre-arranged exceptions.

He suggested several other conditions, including that he not consume alcohol or drugs and undergo sobriety tests no more than twice a month.

Dawson said Roulette was apprehended from his abusive parents at a young age and spent most of his childhood in the care of Child and Family Services.

He said it’s notable that Roulette’s last conviction is from 2024, as he was “very frequently” before the courts before then.

Roulette has been trying to get into a treatment program but was arrested before that was successful, Dawson said.

“He has been making attempts to deal with his addiction issues and try to get help,” Dawson said.

In relation to the assault charge, Dawson said there is some indication the complainant may not be co-operative if Roulette takes the charge to trial.

Judge John Combs said Roulette’s criminal record didn’t give him a lot of confidence that Roulette would follow the conditions of his proposed bail plan.

“(I am) not satisfied that he wouldn’t also be involved in further activity, which may cause risk to the public,” he said.

» sanderson@brandonsun.com