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Accused in major drug bust loses lawyer, gets another

A Red Deer man charged in a major drug bust lost one lawyer and gained another on Thursday.

A Red Deer man charged in a major drug bust lost one lawyer and gained another on Thursday.

Brent Mark Cyr, 21, was charged last week in connection with an alleged drug ring that police say supplied several criminal organizations and Alberta street gangs with large quantities of cocaine.

He will now be represented by Calgary lawyer Chris Archer after Calgary lawyer Roy Shellnut withdrew in Red Deer provincial court.

Shellnut had an undisclosed conflict of interest, court heard.

The Red Deer charges against Cyr relate to alleged incidents between May 1, 2008, and Sept. 30, 2008, in which Cyr faces charges of assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm, two counts of assault and single counts of failing to comply with previous court ordered conditions and intimidation.

Cyr has a Jan. 28, 2010, trial date scheduled in Red Deer on those charges.

He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on last week’s drug charges on Nov. 16 in Calgary provincial court.

He faces charges of possession of a narcotic for the purpose of trafficking and production of a controlled substance — turning powder cocaine into crack cocaine.

He was charged with eight other people on Oct. 20 following a lengthy police investigation that Alberta government officials called a major blow to organized crime in the province.

Police said the sting took $1.5 million worth of cocaine off the street.

The police allege the drug network spread across Canada and supplied drugs to various regions of the country.

Police searched residences in Red Deer, Calgary and Lethbridge, seizing 11 kg of cocaine.

Other Red Deer men charged include Matthew Earles, 23, and Cameron O’Connell, 20, who also face two drug-related charges each.

They also make their first court appearances on Nov. 16.

Also charged is Nicholas Soto, 27, who was from Red Deer but now lives in Calgary. Soto faces 14 charges related to drugs and possession of weapons.

jwilson@www.reddeeradvocate.com