Grand Falls Area Man Pleads Guilty in Anti-Fracking Protests

A Grand Falls area man has pleaded guilty to a number of charges in connection with protests against shale gas seismic testing in New Brunswick.

The RCMP says 47-year-old James Pictou of Saint-André-de-Madawaska appeared in Moncton Provincial Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to seven criminal charges.

Pictou was charged in connection with incidents that occurred in July at the Elisipogtog First Nation and in October along Route 134 near Rexton, New Brunswick.  He had been in custody since his arrest on October 17th.

According to the RCMP, Pictou pleaded guilty Tuesday to uttering a threat towards a First Nation peacekeeper on July 30 in Elsipogtog First Nation by stating, "I'll take those sticks of dynamite and stick it up your (expletive)."

Pictou pleaded guilty as well to uttering threats to kill an RCMP dog on October 17 while holding a long piece of wood. He also pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer by pointing a can of bear spray towards him and obstructing the police officer.

Concerning the native-led protests in Rexton, Constable Jullie Rogers-Marsh stated, "While some people were peaceful, there were those committing serious criminal acts and those acts will continue to be investigated by the RCMP."

Pictou was sentenced to time served plus a conditional sentence of three months of house arrest and an additional six months under curfew. That will be followed by two years of supervised probation.

The RCMP says Pictou must also remain one kilometer away from employees and equipment belonging to SWN Resources and its subcontractors. He is also prohibited from owning, possessing or carrying a weapon including bear spray or pepper spray.

Other conditions include that Pictou must remain in New Brunswick but not be allowed to be in Kent County,  nor to participate in any shale gas protests in the province.