East Leicester, NS: Two Charged After Fentanyl, Loaded Shotgun Seized in Home Search

Two East Leicester residents face drug trafficking and weapons charges after police searched a home in the 4200 block of Hwy. 204 on October 29, according to the Nova Scotia RCMP.

Police said the Cumberland County Street Crime Enforcement Unit carried out the search warrant as part of an ongoing fentanyl trafficking investigation. Criminal Intelligence Service Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia RCMP Emergency Response Team, the Colchester Community Action Team and the Amherst Police Department assisted. The unit includes members of the Cumberland County District RCMP and the Amherst Police Department.

What police seized

According to the RCMP, officers seized:

• About 11 grams of fentanyl
• Cocaine
• A quantity of pills
• Drug-related paraphernalia

Police said a loaded, unsecured shotgun and two crossbows were also found inside the home.

The charges

Matthew Aaron Hunsley, 42, and Nicole Laura Tower, 34, both of East Leicester, were arrested. Each is charged with:

• Possession for the purpose of trafficking (four counts)
• Careless use of a firearm
• Contravention of firearm storage regulations
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm
• Possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized

Hunsley is also charged with four counts of failing to comply with a release order. The charges have not been proven in court.

Next steps

Both accused were remanded into custody and were scheduled to appear in Amherst Provincial Court on November 2.

The RCMP encourages Nova Scotians to report criminal activity, including the illegal sale of drugs, to their local police. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or through the P3 Tips app. The RCMP file number is 2026-1285713.