5 charged after firearms, drugs seized at Lake Echo home

Five people are facing over 10 charges each after a search warrant on a home in Lake Echo led to the seizure of drugs and firearms.

It happened on July 4 when Halifax RCMP, with assistance from the Emergency Response Team, executed a search warrant at a residence on Snow White Drive as part of an ongoing drug trafficking and firearms investigation.

During the search, officers seized a .223 calibre assault-style rifle loaded with a high-capacity magazine, ammunition, three replica handguns, a quantity of cocaine, narcotic prescription pills, dried cannabis, and a Dodge Ram 1500 that had been reported stolen.

Five people were safely arrested at the scene.

Joseph Andrew Fitzgerald, 51, of Lake Echo; Cheray Shedrick, 35, of Sipekne’katik; Samantha Jeane Forbes, 34, of Newport; Richard Douglas Ruth, 48, of Porters Lake; and Norman Blair Philpitt, 58, of Lake Echo, have each been charged with:

• Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose;
• Unsafe Storage of Firearm;
• Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm;
• Unauthorized Possession of Prohibited Weapon or Restricted Weapon;
• Possession of a Prohibited or Restricted Firearm with Ammunition;
• Possession of a Firearm Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized;
• Possession of a Prohibited Weapon, Device or Ammunition Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized;
• Possession of a Weapon Obtained by Commission of Offence;
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime (over $5,000);
• Laundering Proceeds of Crime; and
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking.

Fitzgerald has also been charged with three counts of Possession Contrary to Order and three counts of Failure to Comply with Order. Shedrick has also been charged with four counts of Failure to Comply with Order.