LLOYDMINSTER, Sask. – A charge of disobeying a court order against 47-year-old Brent Habetler of Radisson was stayed in Lloydminster Provincial Court on March 5.
When the Crown stays charges, they put the charges on hold. This means the charges can still be “brought back to life,” within one year and the person could be prosecuted again on those same charges. But this rarely happens.
The charge stemmed from an incident in which Habetler allegedly approached and spoke to a young child at Sandy Beach Regional Park on Aug. 27, 2024, while under a court-ordered peace bond prohibiting him from being at playgrounds.
Habetler was arrested on Oct. 16, 2024, following an investigation by Maidstone RCMP, who said they had identified him as the individual involved in the playground incident.
The stay of proceedings was filed by the Crown prosecutor just weeks before a scheduled trial on April 23.
Habetler had entered into a peace bond in November 2023 in Lloydminster Alberta Court of Justice. A two-day trial on charges resulting from an incident at the Lloydminster, Alta., swimming pool had been scheduled for January 2024 but charges were withdrawn after Habetler entered into the peace bond ordering him not to be at any swimming pool, daycare, day school, or youth centre for one year.
RCMP say numerous police agencies were involved in the investigation that led officers to execute a search warrant on Habetler’s home in October 2024 after the playground incident. They included Saskatchewan RCMP's Battlefords General Investigations Section, High Risk Offender Unit, Warrant Enforcement and Suppression Team, Crime Reduction Team, Federal Support Services, Saskatchewan Highway Patrol and Wilton Police Service.
During their search of Habetler’s home, police say, officers found and seized three loaded and unsecured firearms.
Habetler was charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm, three counts of unsafe storage of a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and possession of a firearm knowing the possession was unauthorized.
Those weapons-related charges were adjourned on March 6 in Lloydminster Provincial Court to March 20 in Saskatoon Provincial Court, where Habetler is expected to enter a plea.
