A2 August 7, 2013
Estevan Mercury
Pipe bomb found at North Portal A 21-year-old Ontario man was arrested Sunday after a pipe bomb was found in his car while he attempted to enter Canada through the North Portal border crossing. The discovery led to some tense moments at the busy port of entry as a building had to be evacuated and the RCMP’s explosive disposal unit was called in to neutralize the device. Derek Joseph Formosa, 21, of Toronto faces a charge of possession of an explosive device and was expected to make his first appearance in court Tuesday morning in Weyburn. Sgt. Daryl Milo of the Estevan RCMP detachment
said through their investigation they have not found any indication that Formosa intended on using the bomb or that he was connected to any sort of terrorist or organized crime groups. “It looks like it was something that he created as a kid, much younger, and had no means of disposing it and no intentions of using it,” Milo said. “He was travelling cross country to go to work and took it as an opportunity to try and dispose of it and hadn’t had that opportunity yet as he was re-entering Canada and obviously made some poor decisions, stupid decisions.” The release from the RCMP noted that Canada
Border Service Agency officers discovered what they believed to be an explosive device during a search of Formosa’s personal effects. The officers immediately evacuated the building where the vehicle was located and contacted the Estevan RCMP who arrived at the scene and took Formosa into custody. The RCMP’s disposal unit was also dispatched to the scene from Regina and detonated the device at around 8:30 that evening. “It was diligent work (by CBSA officers). They found it, to their credit, and got it away from him. It’s disposed of safely now,” said Milo.
A quick robbery that lasted about 30 seconds will end with a Moose Jaw man spending the next two years of his life in a federal penitentiary. A 7-Eleven in Weyburn was James Sippola’s first target and originally the only target for his get rich quick scheme. On July 30 at about 1 a.m. Sippola entered the Weyburn 7-Eleven wielding a long-bladed knife and dressed in a long coat, toque, sunglasses and scarf obscuring his face. He demanded the cash from the
register and the clerk handed over $65, showing him the till was empty except for change. Sippola then left the store. He was going to go back home to Moose Jaw but because he had hoped his efforts would be a little more fruitful, he decided to drive to Estevan to find some more cash. He found a 7-Eleven in Estevan and entered the store at about 2:15 a.m. He left less than a minute later, with an undisclosed amount of money and the store clerks called police.
It didn’t take police long to find a vehicle parked with a lone male occupant who matched the description given to them. He was arrested and quickly admitted to both robberies. In Estevan provincial court on Aug. 1, just two days after the incidents, Sippola pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery while two counts of being disguised while committing an indictable offence were stayed by the Crown. Sippola appeared before the court in custody and was prepared to keep it that way with sentencing going ahead the same day. Represented by Legal Aid, his defence and the Crown presented a joint submission to presiding Judge Ernie Bobowski suggesting a two-year federal penitentiary prison term, which the judge accepted. The 19-year-old army reservist had started a new job at a local oilfield construction company just two days before his decision to rob the pair of convenience stores.
An Ontario man faces charges after a pipe bomb was found among his possessions as he attempted to enter Canada through the North Portal crossing (above).
Quick investigation, confession The confession came quickly and justice was carried out swiftly last week. A male subject who was arrested for trespassing at night on July 31 was subjected to an interview and investigation launched by Estevan Police Service (EPS) personnel on Aug. 1. The man who was the subject of the investigation confessed to being in possession of a small amount of money that
had been taken from vehicles. The police had launched the investigation following several calls from victims complaining that their vehicles had been entered and money being taken from them. Evan Kyle Kallis, 22, appeared in court and pleaded guilty to the charge of being in possession of the stolen property and was sentenced to six months of incarceration.
Robbery ends in prison just two days later EPS seize $15,000 worth of drugs
Poll Results What is your favourite Riders fight song?
This poll was posted on www.estevanmercury.ca from July 30 - August 6
This week’s question: In light of the recent deaths of two boys in New Brunswick, do you believe that exotic pets such as pythons should be banned from Canada?
A B.C. man has been arrested following a drug bust in Estevan. The Estevan Police Service announced Wednesday that their Serious Crimes Unit along with members of the Estevan Integrated Organized Crime Unit and the RCMP
Integrated Border Enforcement Team, arrested the 23-year-old for trafficking cocaine. The involved parties executed a search warrant and seized over $15,000 worth of drugs ranging from crack and powdered cocaine to prescription
drugs. An undisclosed amount of cash was also seized as proceeds of crime. The investigation into the matter is ongoing and charges are pending in relation to the trafficking, possession for the purpose of trafficking in cocaine and prescription drugs.
⇠ A1 project would first have to get approval from the Sun Country Health Authority and the Health Ministry. He did not wish to speculate on what the implications or repercussions would or could be if a local committee acted on its own. Contacted after the press conference, St. Joseph’s executive director Greg Hoffort said the local committee still has their sights set firmly on a 2013 announcement regarding a
CT scanner. Weekes did say, however, that communications between the ministry and the rural health regions needed improvement as well as communications among the health regions themselves. The minister added that there have been no discussions held recently regarding future amalgamations or boundary changes for health regions, like there has been for constituency
representations. Weekes said that before his tours are completed, he will have visited over 40 communities. He noted he had toured some in the winter and had been present for the recent sod-turning ceremony for the Kipling Health Centre in the Sun Country region. Working in a ministry within a ministry (Rural and Remote Health works as a sub-ministry within the Health Ministry and Minister Dustin Duncan), has not created any conflicts or confusion regarding files and projects, he said. Weekes added that physician recruitment and retention in rural Saskatchewan is receiving a boost with a financial incentive program for new medical graduates, and there is now a more efficient system of certifying international recruits and the number of seats in the medical college at the University of Saskatchewan was recently bumped up from 60 to 100. The Health Ministry and Ministry for Rural and Remote Health are also seriously considering a physician residency program in Sun Country. There are four other residency programs underway in major centres outside of Saskatoon and Regina. Improved efficiency measures are already underway in the health regions with the Lean initiative, he said. Those practises have already rewarded the health centres practically and financially.
Rural health minister pays visits Estevan
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14A Violence, Coarse Language
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