Sault police arrest man wanted on Canada-wide warrant, seize loaded handgun

Sault Ste. Marie Police Service is opening its new downtown core station with a newly formed patrol unit.

A bail compliance operation in Sault Ste. Marie has resulted in the arrest of two wanted criminals prohibited from having guns and the seizure of several weapons.

Nicholas Pears, 58, has been wanted on a Canada-wide warrant since March for allegedly breaching his statutory release.

Pears is serving a six-year, five-month sentence for drug trafficking, weapons offences and failing to comply with an undertaking.

He and a 30-year-old woman who also had an outstanding arrest warrant were charged May 7 after officers executed a search warrant at a home in the 200 block of Second Line West, Sault Ste. Marie Police Service said in a news release Friday morning.

During the search, officers seized a loaded handgun which had its serial number tampered with, an airsoft pistol, brass knuckles and ammunition.

• Download the CTV News app now
• Get local breaking news alerts

Pears is now charged with 21 new offences including having a prohibited device or ammunition for a dangerous purpose and being unlawfully at large.

“If you break out of jail, fail to comply with conditions of your parole, don’t show up for sentencing or flee from police after you have been placed under arrest you can be convicted under s.145 of the Criminal Code,” the Criminal Code Help website said about the unlawfully at large charge.

The woman is charged with 16 offences including unauthorized possession of a weapon and four counts of failing to comply with a release order.

• Daily newsletter with the top local stories emailed to your inbox
• Want more local news? Check out the Sault Ste. Marie page

Between the two suspects, 26 of the charges are firearms related.

“Both accused were held in custody pending a bail hearing,” police said.

Additional charges were laid against both suspects May 12, Sault police said in an update Wednesday.

During the search on May 7, the female accused allegedly threated to harm the police dog if it went inside the residence.

She was additionally charged with uttering threats to damage or injure an animal as well as using a firearm to commit an offence.

Another eight counts of possessing a firearm despite a prohibition order were also laid against the male accused, police said.