A 31-year-old man at the centre of two arson investigations and already in custody on gang-related allegations is looking at more charges following the biggest proceeds-of-crime bust in the city's history.
Joey Lamont Arrance, known to be a member of the Game Tight Soldiers, is facing charges following a Prince George RCMP Task Force seizure of $250,000 in jewelry, cash and firearms.
The $40,000 in Canadian cash, jewelry such as diamond rings, heavy guilded chains, a diamond and gold pendant, believed to be custom made, three handguns, a machine gun and eight ounces of cocaine were seized during the past six month in six different locations - not all of them residences, said RCMP Cpl. Craig Douglass.
Douglass said although others are believed to be involved, the focus of the seizures has been on one high ranking member of The Game Tight Soldiers who is also connected to the Renegades Motorcycle Gang.
The suspect associated with all sites where seizures occurred was already in custody on other criminal matters, said Douglass, who declined to name the suspect until charges have been sworn.
However a Citizen investigation revealed the police file number related to the seizure matches the file number for Arrance's Sept. 19 arrest in the 4300 block of Foster Road.
A police search of that residence at that time located a 10 mm Glock handgun and spare magazine as well as a pineapple-style grenade and a body armour vest.
Arrance was remanded in custody with charges relating to weapons and breaching conditions. He also faces a charge of sexual assault on a separate matter.
In late November there were two gang-related arsons in 22 hours. The Twisted Soul Tattoo Parlor, owned by Arrance, was gutted on Nov. 24 and a house, rented by Arrance at 4337 Foster Road, was extensively damaged by fire just hours later. Arrance was in custody at the time of the fires.
A wheelchair-bound woman, Linda Joyce Fredin, 56, who was the mother of Arrance's partner, Kirsten Sabrina Fredin, was pulled from that fire with extensive burns, and died Dec. 2 in a Vancouver hospital.
Arrance and Fredin are scheduled to appear Jan. 26 at 11:30 a.m. on charges relating to firearms. Arrance also has been charged with breach of undertaking or recognizance, and is to appear on the same day on a count of sexual assault allegedly committed in July.
Cpl. Michael McLaughlin of the federal RCMP in Surrey said gang leaders often have jewelry custom-made to show their power.
"All that bling is more about showing off and less about investing proceeds from crime," he said.
Since it's difficult to regain investment from gold, a lot of money laundering involves vehicles and property, which is why financial firms report suspicious transactions.
Anyone with information on gang activity is asked to call the police at 250-561-3300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
