Winnipeg Free Press

Steven Prance was ready to conquer the world.

The Winnipeg high school football star had a full-time job, loving girlfriend and a strong, supportive family.

Then along came a so-called “friend” with an offer that was too tempting to resist - allow for some goods to be stashed in his apartment in exchange for some quick cash.

Prance, 22, is now the one paying a steep price.

He pleaded guilty to drug possession charges this week - and was promptly sentenced to five years in prison.

Prance - who had no prior criminal record and wasn’t a drug user or trafficker - left court in handcuffs to begin serving his sentence while his girlfriend and nearly one-year-old son looked on.

A tipster led investigators to Prance’s home in December 2006, where two kilograms of cocaine and three kilograms of marijuana were found hidden inside. Total street value is pegged at more than $150,000.

“This was not the wisest decision. He saw an easy way to make a quick score. It is probably something Steven will regret all the rest of his days,” defence lawyer Evan Roitenberg told court.

No kidding.

Prance is just the latest in a long line of people to parade through the courthouse, their lives either in shambles or completely ruined as a result of drugs.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. There isn’t a single bigger problem in the city of Winnipeg these days than the prevalance of drugs, especially crack cocaine.

Nearly every crime that is committed - from your car getting stolen, house getting broken into or local gas station being robbed - can be either directly or indirectly traced back to drugs.

Drug abuse knows no boundaries. It’s happening in the inner-city, in the suburbs, in the country. It’s affecting the poor, the middle-class, the rich. It’s hurting people who grew up in broken families and people who grew up in strong, supportive families.

The wide-reaching impact was on display Tuesday night during the emotional “T.J.s Gift - A Gala Evening” fundraiser in Winnipeg.

Several hundred people from all walks of life - including politicians, police officers, social workers, school teachers and students - came together to remember a young man whose life ended violently because of his involvement in the drug subculture. (Click HERE for previous blog post on the event)

We also heard from a tremendously brave young man, a guest speaker who told the hushed crowd how he nearly died of a drug overdose last summer and spent two months in a coma.

Now he’s got a second chance at life, and he’s using it to help educate others. Just as the wonderful family of T.J. Wiebe have devoted their efforts to helping others in their slain son’s memory.

Here’s an idea. Let’s use this forum to share your own experiences with drugs - either personally, or involving a family member, friend, neighbour.

When did the problem begin? And how did it end - if at all? And what ideas do you have for dealing with the broader problem society is facing?

Let’s face it. Longer jail sentences (which we are indeed seeing these days when drugs are involved) can only go so far. Because putting one dealer behind bars only opens the door for another to swoop in and make some extra cash.

Until you actually start dealing with the demand for drugs, there will always be people willing to risk their freedom - however stiff the penalties - in order to come up with the supply.

The Wiebe family have a great thing going with T.J.s Gift. But I believe we can all do more to make our streets and communities safer.

www.mikeoncrime.com

As if the non-stop flood of local stories about kids as young as five setting fires and chronic teen car thieves using city streets as their personal drag-strips weren’t enough…

Teens tell police they converted skull into bong
HOUSTON, Texas (AP) — Three teenagers were arrested after two of them told police they dug up a secluded grave north of Houston, removed the skull from the coffin and converted it into a marijuana bong.

Police found a grave in the city of Humble that had been disturbed, but were still investigating the rest of the teens’ story, Houston police Sgt. John Chomiak said.

Kevin Wade Jones, 17, and Matthew Richard Gonzalez, 17, both of Kingwood, were arrested Wednesday night and were being held on misdemeanor charges of abuse of a corpse, Chomiak said. The juvenile was referred to the Harris County juvenile justice system.

A woman who answered the phone at Gonzalez’s home declined comment. A telephone number for Jones could not immediately be found, and it wasn’t clear from court records if either had an attorney.

Police were interviewing Jones about the use of a stolen debit card when he told them about the grave theft, which purportedly occurred around March 15, according to court documents. Asked why Jones would volunteer such a story, Chomiak said, “We can only speculate and guess to what goes on in the criminal mind.”

Gonzalez confirmed the story to investigators in a follow-up interview. Police were led to a heavily wooded site in Humble where they found a knocked-over headstone and water-filled hole more than 4 feet deep. At the time, the muddy water did not allow police to see if the coffin had been disturbed.

“They dug into this gravesite and that was enough to warrant the abuse of corpse charge,” Chomiak said. “There has to be further investigation into the actual gravesite.”

Police believe the grave is that of an 11-year-old boy who died in 1921. Preliminary reports indicate it was part of a 19th-century veterans cemetery, Chomiak said. While residents in the area knew of the cemetery’s existence, it did not appear to be maintained.

Perhaps I should just stick to my day job.

After a very promising first round in which I picked 7 of the 8 Stanley Cup playoff winners, my second round picks fizzled big time.

Of the four series, I only got one right. And the two teams I had figured to be playing for Lord Stanley - San Jose and the New York Ranrgers - are now competing for tee times.

However, I’m still looking at at the bright side - I’m 8 for 12 overall, and planning to run the table with my remaining selections.

So, here goes.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Pittsburgh vs Philadelphia - Pittsburgh in 7

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

Detroit vs Dallas - Detroit in 6

www.mikeoncrime.com

I never had the pleasure of meeting T.J. Wiebe - but I’ve learned a lot about the young man over the past few years from his two amazing parents, Floyd and Karen.

They are two of the most honest, dedicated and caring people you can meet - which makes it even more shocking that their son fell victim to drugs, then ultimately violence that cost him his life.

T.J. was just 20-years-old when he was lured by a group of drug associates outside the city, injected with a syringe, strangled, stabbed and left to die in a snowbank in January 2003.

Three young men have been convicted of his slaying and are in prison, while the alleged ringleader of the plot — a youth — was acquitted at trial when the others refused to testify.

His tragic case should be an eye-opener for all families - drugs don’t discriminate, and neither does the violence that often is associated with the drug trade.

Floyd and Karen did everything they could to help their son - and yet he still became a grim statistic.

The Wiebe’s don’t want T.J.’s death to be in vain.

And so the couple created the T.J. Wiebe Education and Awareness Fund as a means of keeping his memory alive and steering others away from the dangerous lifestyle that reeled him in.

Last year, in an effort to kickstart donations, they launched the first-ever “T.J’s Gift - A Gala Evening.” By all accounts it was a major success.

The family raised $54,000 for the fund, which was turned over to the Louis Riel School Division to provide students access to the fund for peer education and drug awareness projects.

This year, all Winnipeg school divisions can tap into the proceeds.

Getting funding for a project — be it a school play, a lecture series or a science project — comes with a major commitment.

Every potential recipient must take a “drug free oath” in which they vow to live a clean lifestyle and lobby others to do the same. The family believes peer education is the most effective way of getting the message through to young people.

The second annual “T.J’s Gift - A Gala Evening” is set for next Tuesday, May 13 at Canad Inns Polo Park.

I’ll be there, along with some of my colleagues from the Free Press.

Capacity for the Gala is 670 people but there are still tickets available. Singles are $85 (a tax receipt will be issued for a portion) while corporate tables of 10 can be had for $1,100.

The evening includes both a live and silent auction, five-course gourmet dinner and dancing to the music of Free Ride. The Wiebe’s will also speak to the crown and video tributes will be aired.

Tickets can be had by going to www.tjsgift.com or contacting Floyd Wiebe directly at 229-9633 or by e-mail at floyd@tjsgift.com.

Hope to see you there for this very worthy cause.

www.mikeoncrime.com

At least three children have been flown to Winnipeg in recent days from the remote northern reserve of Shamattawa for treatment of injuries/conditions that should have us all hanging our heads in shame.

First up was a nine-year-old girl last weekend, who had apparently attempted suicide and was in need of immediate medical care. I repeat - a nine-year-old girl tried to end her life.

Next was a patient described by paramedics as a “chronic sniffer” suffering the devastating physical and mental consequences of ingensting solvents into their system. He is 13-years-old.

Finally, earlier today another little girl was rushed to the Children’s Hospital to be treated for an overdose. Not sure of her exact age, but I’m told she was very young.

According to federal stats, Shamattawa is home to about 1,100 people - roughly the population of a typical Winnipeg high school. Of course, we can assume there are more children in a school then on the reserve, as that 1,100 includes residents of all ages.

Now put this in perspective.

What do you think the reaction would be - from politicians, police, the media, the public - if three Winnipeg students in one school had to be rushed to hospital as a result of drug overdoses/solvent abusee/suicide attempts in the span of just a few days.

Can you say “mass hysteria”?? There’d be shock, outrage, anger, confusion, internal reviews, studies, funding announcements, press conferences, etc.

Now compare that with what is happening way up north.

Clearly Shamattawa is a community in crisis. And yet despite the fact this is in our “own backyard”, we are hearing nothing but silence while broken child after broken child gets parachuted out of the community for medical intervention.

Here’s some questions that are haunting me right now.

-How many kids are not even making it out of Shamattawa for care? (as in, they couldn’t be saved).
-What happens to those who do get treatment? Are they simply being sent back into the same ugly situation?
-How many other children are currently deemed to be “at-risk” in the community?
-What other resrouces in Shamattawa are needed right now to deal with what’s going on?
-What long-term plans are in place to deal with the chronic issues plaguing the community?
-Are Aboriginal leaders in this province doing anything about this?
-Are most provincial politicians even aware of what’s going on?
-Is this a tragic example of “out of sight, out of mind”?
-How many other isolated communities are facing similar situations right now?

The only reason I even know about these three most recent incidents is because of information through a source. And the sad reality is these cases are just a “snapshot” of a much bigger picture, one that is both ugly and sad.

There are no quick and easy solutions here - although I would suggest that any child found to be in imminent danger should be placed in a stable, safe environment as quickly as possible.

As for the long-term, I don’t know what can be done. I wish I did. But we’re talking about horrific cycles of poverty, neglect, abuse and isolation that can’t simply be broken.

I just know that it’s wrong to ignore what’s going on. And that talking about the problem is better then pretending it doesn’t exist.

www.mikeoncrime.com

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Not too shabby, if I do say so myself…

The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs are over and your local crime scribe was able to pick seven of the eight series winners. (Only the Ducks being shot down by the Stars kept me from perfection)

Now on to the second round, where the teams will be hard-pressed to match the intensity and excitement of the first two glorious weeks.

Here’s how I see things shaping up.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Detroit vs Colorado - Detroit in 5
San Jose vs Dallas - San Jose in 7

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Montreal vs Philadelphia - Montreal in 6
Pittsburgh vs New York Rangers - New York Rangers in 6

www.mikeoncrime.com

There’s been a lot of concern in the past few day’s about Winnipeg’s soaring homicide rate, especially following this weekend’s incredibly tragic double-slaying of Joel and Maggie Labossiere inside their St. Vital home and the brutal killing of Shannon Scromeda inside her Elmwood residence.

In both cases, young children were also in the home.

With the snow barely melted and already 14 killings in the books - the same number as Toronto - Winnipeg is on pace for a record-setting year.

Perhaps of even greater concern is the kinds of murders we are seeing - and the fact so many of them are unsolved as of right now.

That’s a direct reflection on the increasing amount of gang-related crime, and the fact potential witnesses to many of these cases don’t seem very eager to share what they know with police.

It’s the kind of situation which can quickly escalate out of control.

Just look at what’s happening in Chicago.

Nine people were killed in 36 separate shootings this past weekend, a staggering number even by U.S. major city standards.

According to an Associated Press article, community leaders say the violence is part of a deadly breakdown in discipline among gang members after a crackdown over the past few years put many of their leaders behind bars.

“The older guys, in the past, looked out for the little ones. Now they’re all locked up,” Nick Stames, a social studies teacher at Crane Tech High School on the city’s gang-ridden West Side, told AP.

“There’s no sense of discipline in the projects,” he added. “Everybody’s doing their own thing.”

Let’s hope police and prosecutors in Winnipeg are able to do their “thing” before the bad guys truly take over the city.

www.mikeoncrime.com

Domestic absuse is nothing to joke about. We’ve all heard and read about the worst-case scenarios, where an argument escalates into violence and ends in tragedy.

Police are instructed to treat each and every complaint seriously - and with good measure. It’s probably better to over-react than to do nothing at all and have it come back to haunt you later.

So with this in mind, I ask you today for your thoughts on the troubling case of Noelley Mowatt.

To briefly recap:

Mowatt called Toronto police last year following an argument with her boyfriend and claimed he’d physically assaulted her. Not surprisingly, police responded and charged the man.

As the case wound its way through court, Mowatt changed her tune and made it clear she no longer wanted to proceed. She vowed not to show up in court.

Police and justice officials were concerned - likely for her own safety more than anything - and decided to take some pretty unusual steps to secure her appearance.

They got a material witness warrant and arrested her.

The case became a big deal earlier this month, especially after it was revealed Mowatt was due to give birth any day. Mowatt spent about a week behind bars, then appeared in court and did exactly what she said she would.

She claimed her boyfriend hadn’t touched her and that she lied by originally claiming he had.

“I didn’t need any help and I wasn’t in danger,” Mowatt said from the witness stand. “I wanted to punish him.”

The case has now been adjourned, Mowatt has been released on bail and the accused will likely walk.

Mowatt’s lawyer, Lydia Riva, joined me on my national radio show this past Sunday. She is furious at what justice officials did to her very pregnant client, saying it was “totally unjust” and not the way a victim of abuse victim should be treated.

Of course, Mowatt now claims she is NOT a victim of abuse.

One of two things has likely happened here.

1) Mowatt is playing the system like a fiddle and made a false claim in order to “get back” at her boyfriend following a fight. Knowing police take these matters seriously, she probably wouldn’t be the first person to cry wolf and use the law as a weapon of sorts.

2) Mowatt is a true victim, caught in the vicious cycle of domestic abuse we see all too often. She’s probably scared, maybe has even been threatened not to testify.

The question is, which of these scenarios is true. And how would we ever truly know, given the fact this case (like the majority of domestic-related incidents) is a he-said/she-said with no independent witnesses.

A few other important questions to consider.

Did police and justice officials cross the line by locking Mowatt up?

Should the assault charges simply have been dropped once Mowatt refused to testify?

If so, would the same officials who made that decision have come under intense attack if Mowatt was found seriously assaulted, or even dead, days, weeks or months later?

Should Mowatt now face charges for mischief, perjury or obstruction of justice, since she has said under oath she lied to police?

Lots to think about, and no easy answers from my perspective. Let’s get a discussion going - post your thoughts below. We’ll also chat more about this on this Sunday’s radio show.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Because it appears a handful of Winnipeg kids have taken up a dangerous new “hobby” as they emerge from winter hibernation.

In the past few days, police have arrested four boys and girls for setting a string of fires throughout the North End.

The youngest culprit has been eight years old. The oldest just 10.

The most serious case involves one boy, who police say lit more than 30 different fires.

Police said the boy, who’s too young to be charged or named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, began lighting fires to garbage bins in the Burrows Central neighbourhood six months ago.

He then apparently began taking his efforts up a notch — in late March, police said, he threw a firebomb at an Aberdeen Avenue home, causing $1,000 worth of damage to its exterior.

On April 5, the boy struck again, breaking into a Burrows Avenue home and setting a fire that resulted in $100,000 damage.

Lovely.

On Thursday, we learned of three more arrests.

Police said an eight-year-old girl and 10-year-old boy torched a garbage bin at Main Street and College Avenue.

Another 10-year-old boy then set six autobins on fire in the 300 and 500 blocks of Magnus, Mountain and Burrows avenues during a one-night spree last week.

Again, all three are too young to be charged. Fortunately - or perhaps miraculously - nobody was injured in any of these incidents.

Police have turned all these firebugs over to guardians - there’s no word on whether we’re dealing with blood parents, relatives or foster care - and they have all been directed to the provincial Turnabout program.

That makes any success in this program somewhat suspect, as it’s clear they sorely lack any kind of guidance in their lives.

Dave Brickwood, the province’s executive director of community justice, told my colleague James Turner earlier this week that co-operation from the adults is essential.

“We can’t force ourselves in,” he said.

Marc Proulx, a public education co-ordinator for the city’s Youth Firestop program, agreed that positive changes are often stymied by difficult parents.

“It’s a family program, and we need their consent. If we don’t have their support we’re dead in the water,” he said.

Since 1996, Proulx said his program accepts an average of 165 to 185 youths a year, most of them between the ages of 8-12.

Proulx said there are two main reasons for youths to begin setting fires intentionally — curiosity and crisis.

“Fire-setting is not the problem itself, it’s a symptom of a larger issue,” Proulx said.

Police and fire officials say the months of April and May are usually peak times for fires set by youths, along with September and October.

And perhaps not surprisingly, the culprits are often between the ages of eight and 12.

Most of us realize there are a myriad of complex problems facing many of the city’s youth - poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, physical and mental abuse, a cycle of violence, etc.

But I think the number one cause of what ails this city has to do with a complete and utter lack of guidance at home.

After all, what in the hell are these kids doing out on the streets by themselves - at any hour, really, but especially in the late evening or even middle of the night.

I see the mother of the most problamatic 10-year-old told a local media outlet this week that she was aware her son had a problem and tried to get him some help through his school.

Yet the woman then went on to question whether her boy really did what he’s been accused of, and suggest police bullied her boy into some false confessions.

In other words, passing the buck. And teaching her children a good lesson about taking responsibility - as in, how to avoid doing so.

I wonder why parents of these kids aren’t being looked at for charges themselves. It might be difficult to prove in a court of law, but why not take a run at charging them with something like negligenc e.

There’s also a charge under the Criminal Code for “failing to provide the necessities of life.” Normally it applies to depriving someone of food, or medical care.

But why can’t it apply to other fundamental needs such as love, leadership, discipline and knowledge?

After all, does anyone think that many of these kids have truly been given the “necessities” they need in order to have a successful, law-abiding life?

Would love to know your thoughts on this issue. Post your comment below.

Faithful readers of this blog (Hi Mom and Dad!) will recall a little “branching out” I did last year around this time.

Rather than be pegged as a one-trick crime pony, I decided to release my inner sports fan and unleash my Stanley Cup playoff picks upon you.

By the time the Anaheim Ducks were sipping champagne from the world’s greatest trophy in mid-June, yours truly had gone a fairly impressive 13/15 in series predictions (including 8/8 in the first round and calling the Ducks as champs)

So, as the puck gets set to drop this week, I figured I’d take another shot at gazing into the crystal ball.

As well, folks in the Winnipeg area can look for me on the tube this week as I take part in a roundtable sports-themed discussion on Shaw TV with several panelists, including former Winnipeg Jets broadcaster Curt Keilback.

For those of you have have no interest in sports - and come here solely to read about the latest mayhem - my apologies. We’ll be back to our regularly scheduled programming in short order.

But for the rest of you, let’s see what you think about my picks. Feel free to share your own predictions in the comments section below.

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Detroit vs Nashville - Detroit in 5
San Jose vs Calgary - San Jose in 7
Minnesota vs Colorado - Colorado in 6
Anaheim vs Dallas - Anaheim in 7

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Montreal vs Boston - Montreal in 5
Pittsburgh vs Ottawa - Pittsburgh in 7
Washington vs Philadelphia - Philadelphia in 6
New Jersey vs New York Rangers - New York Rangers in 6

www.mikeoncrime.com