A man recently arrested by local police in relation to a drug trafficking investigation has been granted release from the Edmonton Remand Centre.
On Sept. 21, Andres Luis Angel Soto-Sotomayor was arrested and charged after the Bonnyville General Investigation Section (GIS), with the assistance of Cold Lake GIS and RCMP Police Dog Services, executed a search warrant on a rural property south of Bonnyville.
The search was in relation to an ongoing drug trafficking investigation. At the residence police found approximately 130 grams of cocaine, marijuana, prescription pills, a loaded sawed off shotgun, two other firearms, bear spray, and over $10,000.
Twenty-year-old Soto-Sotomayor of Edmonton was arrested, and is facing charges of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, possession of marijuana, possession of codeine, possession of a loaded prohibited firearm, possession of a firearm without a license, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of proceeds of crime, two counts of fail to comply with the conditions of a recognizance, and two counts of fail to comply with the conditions of a probation order.
Soto-Sotomayor appeared in the Bonnyville Provincial Courthouse on Tuesday, Sept. 25 via CCTV, and was granted released on a $5,000 cash deposit with conditions by Honourable Judge Kathleen Williams. Both acting duty counsel and the federal Crown prosecutor agreed with Soto-Sotomayor's release conditions.
He is to keep the peace, be of good behaviour, remain in the Province of Alberta, reside with his parents in Edmonton, remain at his residence seven days a week between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., report to the Bonnyville RCMP via telephone between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. every Friday, keep the RCMP apprised of any changes to his address or employment, refrain from the use of any illegal or non-prescription drugs, not to attend within 50 kilometres of the Town of Bonnyville, and not possess any weapons, firearms, ammunition, or explosives.
Soto-Sotomayor may only possess one cellphone and must provide call logs when requested by a police officer.
His next court appearance is Oct. 16 in the Bonnyville Provincial Courthouse.