Man charged in connection with fentanyl at Esgenopetitj denied bail

A judge has denied bail to a Fredericton man who was charged with trafficking after a pill containingfentanylwas found onEsgenopetitjFirst Nation,where the drug is suspected in the overdoses of several people, including a woman who died.

Jesse Joe, 35, appeared inMiramichiprovincial court Wednesday afternoon for a bail hearing.

There is a publication ban on the evidence presented toJudgeGeriMahoney.

Joe faces charges of trafficking in a controlled substance and breach of probation. He is scheduled to return to court on May 29.

• 1 man charged, another arrested in connection with fentanyl at Esgenopetitj
• Pill seized on Esgenopetitj First Nation contains fentanyl, RCMP say

He has been in custody since he was arrested on the reserve April 20.

A 60-year-old man fromEsgenopetitjFirst Nation, who was arrested the same day in connection with the case, was released pending a later court appearance. He has not yet been named.

Joe entered the courtroom Wednesday inhandcuffs and wearing a grey T-shirt with stylized wings on it. He grinned and nodded at a man sitting in the public gallery, one of only five observers.

As the judge read the court documents in silence,marking sections with a pink highlighter,Joe waved at a woman and whispered and chuckled with the sheriff's deputies.

He had appeared in court on April 25 but was remanded to custody after his duty counsel requested time to review the file.

Policeare continuing to investigate the death of a 35-year-old woman on April11onEsgenopetitjFirst Nation. They have said they are awaiting toxicology results.

A Health Canada analysis confirmed a pill seized from Esgenopetitj First Nation contained fentanyl, RCMP have said.

Health Canada describes fentanyl as a prescription painkiller about 100 times more powerful than morphine.

The pill seized by police after the fatal overdose on the reserve isblue and about one centimetre in diameter, with"Percocet5" written on it.

Anyone with any information about the case is asked to contact the Neguac RCMP at506-776-3000or Crime Stoppers at1-800-222-TIPS (8477).