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Red Deer man sentenced for role in drug operation

A Red Deer man was sentenced to more than five years in prison for his role in a drug ring.
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A Red Deer man swept up in a major joint police drug trafficking operation was sentenced to more than five years in prison.

Shawn Barry Steier, 31, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison in a Calgary courtroom this week. He was given credit for 17 months in prison, leaving him with just under four years to serve.

Calgary police started their investigation in March 2015 after a tip from the public about ongoing drug activity with connections to the Red Deer area.

Coincidentally, the Central Alberta task force, made up of officers from Red Deer RCMP General Investigative Section, Sylvan Lake, Innisfail and Blackfalds RCMP detachments, started its own investigation into drug activity regarding the same suspects as Calgary police in October.

In November, the two police forces combined their information and efforts with the assistance of Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT).

The investigation progressed when Calgary police responded to an attempted armed robbery at the Calgary pawn shop. Two suspects fled in a stolen vehicle but were arrested soon after.

Following the arrests, police homes in Calgary and an apartment on Lancaster Drive in Red Deer and two Gasoline Alley hotel rooms.

Items seized from the Red Deer area included a military-grade vest with a ceramic plate to protect against high-powered guns.

Nine guns along with 12,159 rounds of ammunition, $14,400 cash, and almost 400grams of drugs with a street value of about $39,000 were seized as a result of the joint investigation by Calgary Police Service and Red Deer and area RCMP with Central Alberta’s Priority Crimes Task Force.

Drugs seized from Calgary and Red Deer area included 203.2 grams of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of $20,320 and 181.1 grams of powder cocaine, as well as crack and GHB.

Larger amounts of drugs were found in Calgary, with smaller packages ready for distribution seized in Red Deer.

Steier was facing nine drugs, robbery and weapons charges.

A Calgary arrested in the same bust, Wayant Donald Chapin, 38, was previously sentenced to three years in prison for his role.