RCMP track down man wanted in extortion case

A man who has been wanted by the RCMP for more than a month is now in custody.

The RCMP said Jared Naytowhow was arrested after a standoff Monday on the Sturgeon Lake First Nation.

The Mounties have been looking for the 32-year-old man, along with 24-year-old Brianna Forest, since getting a a report of gunfire on the First Nation on Sept. 19.

“After further investigation, it was determined that several individuals assaulted and attempted to extort an adult male, who was taken to hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening in nature,” the RCMP said in a statement at the time.

Police later confirmed the man had been shot.

Two suspects — 41-year-old Ian Felix of Prince Albert and 22-year-old Savannah Burns of the Sturgeon Lake First Nation — were arrested on Oct. 18 after police followed a reportedly stolen vehicle to a home on the First Nation. At the home, police also seized eight guns and ammunition, along with the vehicle.

The RCMP charged Burns with extortion with a firearm, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, forcible confinement, uttering threats, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

Felix faced the same list of charges, along with careless use of a firearm, possession of stolen property, driving while prohibited, possession of a firearm with a tampered serial number, and other weapons charges.

The Mounties continued to search for Naytowhow and Forest. On Monday, Naytowhow was traced to a home on the Sturgeon Lake First Nation.

The RCMP said in a release that officers surrounded the home and “worked for numerous hours” to get Naytowhow to surrender. Eventually, a conducted energy device was deployed and he was arrested.

A search warrant was executed at the house, and police said officers found a sawed-off shotgun.

Police are still trying to find Forest. She was described as 5-foot-7 with brown eyes and brown hair.

Anyone with information about her whereabouts was asked to call their local RCMP detachment at 310-RCMP or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.