Charges laid in relation to Amber Alert
September 22, 2018, 2:46 pm
Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes Unit North, with assistance from North Battleford RCMP, North Battleford Provincial General Investigative Section (GIS), North Battleford Municipal GIS, and Saskatoon Provincial GIS, have made an arrest in relation to Sunday’s Amber Alert.
Hundreds of hours of surveillance footage from over 200 businesses was viewed as part of this investigation, establishing the stolen vehicle’s movements after it was stolen.
As a result of this investigation, 19-year-old Johnathan Ryann Gunville of North Battleford has been charged with:
· Abduction of a person under 14, Section 281 of the Criminal Code
· Unlawful confinement, Section 279(2) of the Criminal Code
· Abandoning a child, Section 218 of the Criminal Code
· Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, Section 249(1)(a) of the Criminal Code x2
· Theft of a motor vehicle, Section 333.1 of the Criminal Code
· Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000, Section 355(a) of the Criminal Code
· Evade a police officer, Section 249.1 of the Criminal Code
· Drive while disqualified, Section 259(4)(a) of the Criminal Code x2
· Fail to comply with a probation order, Section 733.1(1) of the Criminal Code x8
These charges encompass the Amber Alert on September 16, as well as two subsequent vehicle thefts on September 19 and September 20.
On September 16, six-year-old Emma O'Keeffe was abducted when the vehicle she was in was stolen. The vehicle was later found in an industrial area of North Battleford with the child inside.
Gunville has been remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear in North Battleford Provincial Court on Monday, September 24, at 9:30 a.m.
Gunville has an extensive criminal record.
