One Man Charged Following April 13 Incident and Overnight Manhunt
Police seized fentanyl, cocaine, and cash after a manhunt east of Owen Sound. One man faces multiple charges following a westside disturbance and subsequent search of the property.
Miguel Moctezuma Vera, a 23-year-old man with no fixed address, is facing multiple criminal charges following a high-profile police search that began in Owen Sound and ended with his arrest east of the city the next morning.
The incident began around 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 13, when Owen Sound Police Service (OSPS) officers responded to a disturbance call at a west-side residence. Before officers arrived, a male suspect fled the scene in a vehicle.
Police attempted to stop the suspect’s vehicle on more than one occasion, but the pursuits were called off to protect public safety, according to OSPS. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) provided air support and deployed a K9 unit, assisting in a coordinated ground search that stretched into the early hours of Monday morning.
That search, concentrated near Highway 26 and Grey Road 11, saw a significant police presence and road closures in the area. Residents reported sightings of emergency vehicles, searchlights on nearby golf course fairways, and police stationed outside a 14th Street West apartment building connected to the investigation.
By 8:30 a.m. Monday, police confirmed that one suspect had been taken into custody east of Owen Sound, ending the active search.
As the investigation progressed, members of the OSPS Criminal Investigations Branch obtained and executed a search warrant for the west-side residence initially involved. That search led to the seizure of a significant quantity of illicit drugs and Canadian currency, including:
Fentanyl equivalent to approximately 860 doses (street value ~$17,000)
800 grams of cocaine (estimated value ~$80,000)
Over $30,000 in Canadian currency
On Tuesday, OSPS announced that Vera has been charged with the following offences:
Assault with a Weapon
Uttering Threats to Cause Death
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Fentanyl
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine
Possession of a Schedule I Substance
Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle (2 counts)
Flight from Police (2 counts)
Mischief Under $5,000
Fail to Comply with Probation
The Owen Sound Police Service extended thanks to the Ontario Provincial Police, including the West Region Emergency Response Team, K9 Unit, and Air Support, for their assistance during the search and arrest.
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