“People who legally purchase guns and traffic them to criminals are equally responsible for the violence on our streets and will be held to account,” says FIU Staff Sgt. Eric Stewart. “These arrests represent months of dedication from our investigators and partners. The FIU has been in operation for just over two years, and our specialization in this area is already making a difference.”
In October 2021, FIU members commenced an investigation into Calvin Warren-Grandbois, after receiving intelligence that he had purchased 14 restricted firearms from an Edmonton retailer between September 2019 and July 2021.
In June 2021, one of Warren-Grandbois’ firearms was recovered while executing a search warrant at an unrelated residence.
FIU members subsequently executed a search warrant at Warren-Grandbois’residence near 135 Avenue and 139 street, the address where the accused’s firearms were supposed to be lawfully stored. Investigators were unable to locate 13 of Warren-Grandbois’firearms on the premises; the 14th gun was discovered in a vehicle being driven by Fausto Munguia Orta on Nov.17, 2021, when he was leaving Warren-Grandbois’residence. A non-restricted rifle was also seized from the residence.
Calvin Warren-Grandbois, 31, of Edmonton is facing multiple charges including:
- Firearms trafficking (x 15)
- Possession for the purpose of firearms trafficking (x 15)
Fausto Munguia Orta, 29, of Edmonton is facing charges including:
- Possession for the purpose of firearms trafficking
- Unauthorized possession (firearm) in a motor vehicle
- Unauthorized possession of a firearm.
On Oct. 1, 2021, FIU members initiated a second straw purchasing investigation involving Michael Steinke. The accused is alleged to have purchased a total of four firearms from an Edmonton retailer over three separate occasions, before trafficking them to other individuals.
On Oct. 8, 2021, one of the firearms registered to Steinke was discovered by EPS patrol members while conducting a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Richard Leber. On Dec. 1, 2021, investigators executed warrants at Steinke’sresidence near 110 Avenue and 109 Street, and a second residence near 115 Avenue and 97 Street connected to Justin Boucher, a suspect alleged to have purchased firearms from the accused.
Police were unable to locate any of the firearms that Steinkerecently purchased during the search of his residence; a non-restricted rifle, however, was located at Boucher’shome.
Investigators have since determined that Boucher trafficked one of the firearms that was sold to him bySteinke.
Michael Steinke, 52, of Edmonton is facing multiple charges including:
- Firearms trafficking (x 4)
- Possession for the purpose of firearms trafficking (x 4 counts)
- Public mischief
- Firearm false statements concerning loss
Juston Boucher, 29, of Edmonton is charged with:
- Firearms trafficking
- Firearm in a motor vehicle
- Unauthorized possession of a firearm
- Firearm possession contrary to prohibition order
- Driving while prohibited
Richard Leber, 50, of Edmonton is charged with:
- Possession of weapons contrary to prohibition order (x2)
- Firearm in a motor vehicle
- Unauthorized possession of a firearm
- Possession of an offensive weapon danger to the public
- Careless use/storage of a firearm
- Fail to comply with a probation order
On Aug. 24, 2020, Bradley Smigorowsky purchased two restricted firearms. On Sept. 21, 2020, Cody Young, who is bound by a firearms prohibition order, was arrested and found to be in possession of two firearms, one of which was registered to Smigorowsky.
On Nov.10, 2020, Ryley Hoffman was arrested as part of a CDSA investigation and found to be in possession of over 57 gm of Fentanyl and a firearm registered to Smigorowsky. Hoffman is bound by a firearms prohibition.
Bradley Smigorowsky, 40, of Fort Saskatchewan is charged with:
- Firearms trafficking (x2)
Cody Young, 32, of Edmonton is charged with:
- Firearm in a motor vehicle
- Possession of prohibited/restricted firearm with ammunition
- Unauthorized possession of a firearm
- Possession of weapons contrary to prohibition order
Ryley Hoffman, 35, of Edmonton is charged with:
- Firearm in a motor vehicle
- Possession of prohibited/restricted firearm with ammunition
- Possession of weapons contrary to prohibition order
- Carrying a concealed weapon
- Contravention of use, storage, handling and transport regulations
Two of several restricted firearms and ammunition seized during three separate “straw purchasing” investigations recently concluded by the EPS Firearms Investigation Unit.