Gang Associate Arrested in Northern Alberta

Grande Prairie… An arsenal of guns, drugs, and stolen property was seized when ALERT and RCMP searched a rural home outside of Fairview, Alta. Six people were arrested, including a 35-year-old man with gang ties.

ALERT’s Grande Prairie organized crime and gang team arrested Robert Cletus Traverse, 35, on May 1. Traverse has an extensive history with police and is allegedly connected to gangs operating out of the B.C. Lower Mainland.

At the time of the search warrant, Traverse remained armed and barricaded inside the home for three hours before surrendering to the RCMP Emergency Response Team. ALERT also received assistance from RCMP Fairview, RCMP Peace River, RCMP McLennan, RCMP Grande Prairie, and CFSEU-BC.

Traverse has an extensive history with police and was wanted on warrants out of Alberta, British Columbia, and Newfoundland. Traverse was allegedly involved in criminal activity between the Alberta/B.C. Peace Region corridors, and he now faces 25 charges related to drugs, guns, and stolen property.

A search of the property yielded an assortment of firearms and an estimated $50,000 worth of stolen property, including a trailer, ATV, and two vehicles. Small amounts of crack cocaine and fentanyl were seized, but it is believed that most of the drugs were destroyed during the execution of the search warrant.

The search warrant resulted in the seizure of:

• 9 firearms;
• 5 prohibited high-capacity firearm magazines;
• Improvised explosive device;
• 5 grams of crack cocaine;
• Trace amounts of fentanyl.
• Thousands of rounds of ammunition;
• Stolen trailer, ATV, pickup truck, and SUV
• $3,805 cash proceeds of crime;

Traverse is currently bound by a lifetime firearms prohibition. Three of the guns seized had their serial numbers defaced, including a restricted AR15 semi-automatic carbine.

The charges against Traverse include:

• Possession for the purpose of trafficking (x 2);
• Possession of an explosive substance;
• Careless storage of a firearm (x 4);
• Possession of a restricted firearm with readily accessible ammunition;
• Possession of a prohibited firearm;
• Knowingly possess a firearm with its serial number defaced (x 3);
• Possession of prohibited devices (high capacity firearm magazines);
• Possession of a restricted firearm without being license holder;
• Possession of property obtained by crime (x 8);
• Alter vehicle identification number;
• Possession of a firearm while prohibited from doing so;
• Breach of probation.

In addition to Traverse, five other individuals were arrested and charged. They are facing a combined total of 92 charges related to drugs, firearms, and stolen property.

• Stephanie Catherine Payou, 28,
• David Lee Williams, 32,
• Charles Victor Morris, 26,
• Dean Allen Stafford, 34,
• Tyler Allan Metz, 34.