Vegreville man facing dozens of charges in connection to firearms-trafficking investigation

A Smith & Wesson SD9, pictured here, was one of nine firearms, as of June 1, 2022, Edmonton police and Mounties had seized of 17 that were fraudulently purchased by a Vegreville, Alta., man in November 2021. (Source: Edmonton Police Service)

A Vegreville, Alta., man at the centre of a firearms trafficking investigation has turned himself in.

The 33-year-old was first named as a suspect after Edmonton police officers found three illegal firearms during a vehicle stop in November 2021.

He now faces 68 charges related to firearms trafficking and fraud.

The accused is alleged to have bought 17 fraudulent handguns from 11 different Alberta sellers in November 2021, and trafficked them over the next two months. He reportedly posed as an Edmonton man and used that man's licence to make the purchases through the Canadian Firearms Program and Alberta’s Chief Firearms Office.

Police say he tried to fraudulently buy 25 more firearms – including some that were restricted and prohibited – from an Ontario auction house, but was blocked by police.

In January, the man was also named as a suspect in an investigation by the Vegreville and Two Hills RCMP detachments, west of Edmonton.

The three agencies together recovered nine of the 17 handguns purchased in 2021. Edmonton Police Service's special firearms unit continues to search for the others.

The man turned himself in on April 5.