CANMORE – Off leash dogs and a false name were the charges dealt with in provincial court on Tuesday (June 25) as former Bow Valley resident Angela Schrempf’s defence counsel entered a guilty plea on her behalf in relation to obstructing a police officer.
Schrempf, 32, was charged with obstruction last year after she gave an RCMP officer a false name when she was caught with her dog off leash in Banff National Park.
In addition, she was charged with possession of a controlled substance and contravening the regulations of the National Parks Act.
The charges were brought before Justice George Gaschler in the Canmore Provincial Courthouse with Crown prosecutor Pierre Grabinski recommending a $250 fine for obstruction and $100 fine for the off-leash dog.
Schrempf was not present in the courthouse as defence counsel Kaitlyn Perrin explained the former Bow Valley resident currently resides in Honolulu, Hawaii and was attending a CBD conference in Europe. CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is derived from the hemp plant.
Perrin entered guilty pleas on Schrempf’s behalf to all the charges, and asked for the possession charge to receive a conditional discharge, as her client has no previous criminal record.
Justice Gaschler agreed a “criminal record would be a disproportionate consequence” for the possession charge, but also noted that “trifling with the police” is a waste of RCMP time and resources.
Schrempf was given the conditional discharge, and as a result she will make a $500 donation to Bow Valley Victim Services and pay a $100 fine for having the dog off leash. She will not have a criminal record.
The charges stemmed from a May 2018 incident when a Banff park warden encountered Schrempf on the Mount Norquay Road with another individual and an off-leash dog, which was observed to be chasing wildlife.
When the warden asked for identification, Schrempf said her name was Roxanne. However later that day during the RCMP investigation police discovered Schrempf was in possession of an expired Canadian passport with the legal name Angela Schrempf and other identifications with the name Mia Shark were found, Grabinski explained in court.
Using a false name is considered obstruction under the criminal code and she was subsequently charged with the offence, in addition to the National Parks Act and drug possession charges.
Perrin explained that Schrempf’s middle name is Roxanne and that in 2016 she legally changed her name to Mia Shark.
“However in Canada she did use her original name,” Perrin said.
Perrin said her client acknowledges the responses given to police and inability to stick with one name “caused problems.”
The defence lawyer also downplayed the obstruction charge comparing it to more serious cases such as witness tampering, but acknowledged it was a serious charge nonetheless.
“This is not a planned offence,” Perrin said calling it a “one-off.”
The Crown asked for Schrempf to be present to sign the probation order, as Grabinski noted there is two outstanding warrants for her arrest related to different matters, but the Judge said he was only deciding on the matters before him.
Perrin noted her client does not intend to return to Canada.
At the time of the charges, Schrempf was offered a chance to go through the alternative measures program. The program provides an opportunity to deal with minor criminal charges through community service and does not leave a person with a criminal record.
Schrempf, however, did not complete the requirements of the program.
