Pleas from Hells Angel Robin Moulton and 'known associate' delayed until February

A Fredericton man identified by RCMP as afull-patch member of the Hells Angels Nomads and one of his "known associates" will spend Christmas behind bars.

Robin Moulton, 48, and Marie AntonetteBugay, 40, also ofFredericton, were both scheduled to enter pleas on numerous drugs and weapons-related offences inSaint John provincial courton Tuesday.

But the matter has been set over until Feb. 8 at 1:30 p.m., at the request of Moulton's defence lawyer, T.J. Burke.

Burke said he only received electronic copies of the RCMP's informations to obtain search warrants on Dec. 1, and there were technical problems with some of the files that weren't resolved until Dec. 4.

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The file is almost 600 pages, said Burke, and while he's a "pretty fast reader," he requested moretime to review the material.

Crown prosecutor Nicole Angersacknowledged the file is "quite voluminous" and will take time to get through. But she noted the defence has had a copy of the "very detailed" court brief since Oct. 11, which she contends contains sufficient information forMoultonto elect his mode of trial andenter pleas.

Duty counsel told the court Bugayspoke to her lawyer for the first time Monday. He declinedto name the lawyer but saidit's not the same lawyer mentioned duringBugay'slast court appearance last month.

Judge AndrewLeMesurieragreed to adjourn the elections and pleas again.

Moulton andBugay, who were both in the prisoner's boxwith a sheriff's deputy between them, showed no reaction to the delay.

They have both been in custody since August,when they were arrested separately as part of a joint investigation into outlaw motorcycle gang activities in New Brunswick,RCMPhave said.

Their pleas and elections have been delayed several times for various reasons, most recently in Novemberwhen their lawyers were awaiting further disclosure from the Crown.

When Moulton entered the courtroom Tuesday, wearing grey jail-issued T-shirt and pants, he winked and smiled at a handful of supporters sitting in the first two rows.

He is facing 12 charges, most relating to firearms, namely a high-powered rifle with a silencer and a loaded 9-mm handgun, which he'd been banned from possessing for life, according to court documents.

Bugayis charged jointly with Moulton on seven of the offences, plus on three of her own, including possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and having possession of more than $5,000,knowing that all or part of it was obtained by the commission of an offence.

Security concerns

Moulton and Bugay can each choose to be tried either by a provincial court judge,Court of Queen's Bench judge alone, or by judge and jury in the Court of Queen's Bench.

If the pair go totrial, it's not yet clear where the trial will be held. Moultonoriginally appeared in Woodstockcourt but his case was relocated to Saint John oversecurity concerns.

Crown prosecutor Angers, who is based in Moncton, hassaid she believes itshould be in one of the newer courthouseseither Saint John,MonctonorMiramichi.

But Moulton and Bugay's election may dictate whether the case needs to proceed in Woodstock, near where he was arrested, Angers has said.