Police arrest UN gang associate near Dawson Creek

When anti-gang police arrived on a rural Dawson Creek property Aug. 30, their suspect burst out ofa stolen travel trailer barefoot and took off on an all-terrain vehicle.

With the help of an RCMP helicopter, police dogs were finally able to corner the associate of thenotorious United Nations gang four hours later.

Robert Cletus Traverse, 32, is now facing drug trafficking and firearms charges, as well as a count ofpossession of property obtained by crime.

He appeared in Dawson Creek provincial court Monday and was remanded in custody until Sept. 16.

He is also wanted on warrants in Alberta, as well as Newfoundland, where he faces charges ofsexually assaulting a minor in 2011.

Sgt. Lindsey Houghton, of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, said Monday that whileTraverse escaped without his shoes, he managed to grab a satchel that contained a gun and cash.

"When he was finally arrested, the 32-year-old man was caught carrying a bag that held a loadedSmith Wesson .22-calibre handgun, approximately $35,000 in cash, five ounces of crack and powdercocaine, about half and ounce of methamphetamine, and several opiate pills," Houghton said.

He said his agency, along with Dawson Creek RCMP, executed a search warrant on the largeproperty on Aug. 30 as part of an investigation into a drug-trafficking group believed to have set upin the area.

"This group was reportedly made up of gang members from the Grande Prairie, Alta., area that hadset up in Dawson Creek and led by the prime suspect, who happened to be a UN gang associate,"Houghton said. "Information was quickly developed that indicated that the rural property, which isabout 400 acres in size, held a significant amount of high-value stolen property, as well as drugs and

guns."

Among the stolen items recovered from the property were a Sea Doo boat, a late model 32-foottravel trailer, two pickup trucks, a late model Polaris quad all-terrain vehicle and a Yamaha R1motorcycle.

Houghton said the combined value of the stolen property is estimated at about $200,000.

Sgt. Scott West, of Dawson Creek RCMP, said "there will be a number of people that will be pleasedto have their property returned as well as disrupting a drug distributor which was having a negativeimpact on our area."

Houghton said the investigation developed very quickly.

"We feel that we've been able to disrupt a significant drug and stolen property operation in B.C.'sPeace Region," he said.

http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2014/09/09/163726/