Bail denied for accused in big fentanyl seizure

A display of drugs, cash and other items seized by ALERT members during a June 2025 bust involving three individuals. (Photo courtesy of ALERT)

A man accused of half a dozen drug trafficking related offences as well as possession of illegal weapons was denied bail Wednesday at Medicine Hat Court of Justice.

Sean Allen Bowers, 44, was arrested in June by members of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) following an investigation launched by a confidential informant earlier this year.

That information led to both static and mobile surveillance of Bowers in June both at his home and at various other locations, the court heard.

Two vehicles were identified as being connected with Bowers, including a SUV which police tailed to Bassano on June 13 with a driver and passenger not alleged to be the accused.

According to Crown submissions, those two individuals were observed in Bassano meeting up with Bowers in the other vehicle he was linked to with the accused alleged to have transferred two backpacks to the SUV.

Police continued to follow the SUV which stopped in Brooks where the two occupants were arrested and the vehicle was searched.

Nearly 600 grams of fentanyl was seized along with nearly a kilo of cocaine. Smaller amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl, a spitball of coke were also seized and are consistent with personal use quantities. Score sheets were also recovered from the vehicle.

Both individuals were subsequently released.

Surveillance on Bowers continued, however, for several days leading up to a search warrant being executed at his home and his arrest.

Another 144 grams of fentanyl was seized from the home along with smaller amounts of coke and meth. Police also seized $5,400 in cash as well as identification with Bowers picture and birth date but with a different name.

Also seized was an apparently homemade conductive energy device as well as a second such weapon which looked like a flashlight.

The Crown sought Bowers be denied bail for a litany of reasons, particularly due to the strength of the case, the substantial penitentiary sentence if the allegations are sustained and noting fentanyl dealers have been described as, “merchants of death.”

Defence lawyer Greg White noted the Crown’s case may not be as strong as submitted, telling the court there are, “weird things all over this file.”

White specifically highlighted how the two individuals found with the vast majority of the illicit drugs were released shortly after being arrested.

Additionally, the defence questioned the reliability of the identification of Bower being the individual interacting with the two individuals in Bassano.

In his arguments for granting bail, White noted his client is in a stable common-law relationship, has a surety who testified at the bail hearing that they would monitor Bowers and inform police if he breached terms of release, including if it included a 24-hour daily curfew.

Provincial Justice Cathy Regier stated in her ruling that while Bower has family ties to the community there wasn’t enough sufficient securities to overturn the reverse onus bar which the accused was required to meet due to the nature of the allegations.

Accused in guns, drugs case going to trial following preliminary hearing

A man facing multiple firearm charges along with three allegations of possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking will be going to trial following a one-day preliminary hearing on Tuesday at Medicine Hat Court of Justice.

Kaden Schenkey was charged in September 2024 by members of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team during an arrest which saw police deploy pepper ball munitions to secure his detainment, according to a media release at the time.

Police executed search warrants as part of the investigation at a South Ridge home and storage unit in Cottonwood, recovering multiple firearms, body armour along with coke, meth, GHB and a small amount of fentanyl, according to the release.

Schenkey is currently remanded.