Woman charged in connection with Hells Angels investigation in Fredericton
Marie Antonette Bugay, 40, a 'known associate' of Robin Moulton, is facing drug and weapons charges, RCMP say
A 40-year-old Fredericton woman has been charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and possession of a prohibited weapon as part of an ongoing joint-force investigation into outlaw motorcycle gang activities, say RCMP.
Marie Antonette Bugay is a "known associate" of Robin Moulton, who was arrested in Fredericton last week on similar charges and has been identified by police as being a full-patch member of the Hells Angels MC Nomads New Brunswick chapter, said Cpl. Jullie Rogers-Marsh.
Bugay was initially arrested on Aug. 24 during the execution of a search warrant at a home on Aberdeen Street, which led to the discovery of "a quantity" of what is believed to be cocaine, drug paraphernalia and a Taser, Rogers-Marsh announced in a statement on Tuesday.
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Bugay was released but arrested again on Tuesday morning when police say they also seized a large quantity of money.
She appeared in Fredericton court on Tuesday and is being held in custody until her next court appearance on Sept. 1 at 10 a.m.
On Aug. 25, the day he appeared in Woodstock provincial court, a photo that appears to depict the pair lying in bed together was posted to Bugay's Facebook page. The caption included the lyrics, "I got you babe," and #freebird, seemingly in reference to the tattoo of the letters B-I-R-D on Moulton's fingers.
"Hey girlfriend! How are you?" a friend posted. "Give Robin a big hug for me!"
"I wish I could," Bugay replied, along with a sad emoji.
Registered massage therapy business
Bugay just registered a business called Elysium Massage Therapy, located on Queen Street, with Service New Brunswick on Aug. 1.
The corporate affairs registry database lists her address as being on Aberdeen Street, where SWAT teams were observed Aug. 24.
Bugay is listed as the secretary of the Atlantic Confederation of Clubs and Independents on the organization's website.
The ACC describes itself as an association that fights against "biker discrimination and profiling."
It was put in place to "protect the rights of all motorcyclists" in the Atlantic provinces, according to a release posted on its website on June 30.
"As a community and a nation, we seem to be forgetting what those rights are," it says.
"The law enforcement tactics are no longer relying on facts and evidence, but on assumptions, opinions, and stories from the past."
Moulton was arrested Aug. 22 after being stopped while driving on the Trans-Canada Highway near Woodstock at around 7:20 a.m. A search of the car led to the seizure of "a quantity" of what is believed to be cocaine, said Rogers-Marsh.
RCMP subsequently executed search warrants at "several locations" across the province, including Moulton's Brunswick Street residence, and seized a number of other items, including a high-powered rifle with a silencer and a loaded handgun, she said.
The other items seized include:
- Full-patch Hells Angels jacket.
- Hells Angels "support club" patches.
- A quantity of drugs.
- Drug paraphernalia.
- "Support 81 Maritimes" clothing, which police say is a metonym for Hells Angels — the eighth letter of the alphabet being H, and the first letter of the alphabet being A.
This RCMP-led operation also involves the Canadian Border Services Agency, Saint John Police Force, Fredericton Police Force, Kennebecasis Regional Police Force and Edmundston Police.
"New Brunswick's law enforcement community is working together to specifically target outlaw motorcycle gangs in our province," Rogers-Marsh said.
"This arrest is a reflection of our collaborative efforts to disrupt and dismantle organized crime groups who are harming our communities with illegal activities."
With files from Karissa Donkin