Cops issue alert for no-show defendant
Joshua Lee Best, 37, described as “arrestable” several files, reports Fredericton police
The Fredericton Police Force is turning to the public for help in tracking down an offender who was a no-show in court last month for sentencing on fraud crimes.
The city police issued an advisory Monday afternoon about Joshua Lee Best, 37, who the force described as “arrestable on several police files.”
It’s hoping members of the public can provide information on his whereabouts or that could lead to him being found, the alert said.
Best is described as Caucasian, about six feet (183 centimetres) tall, weighing about 240 pounds (109 kilograms), with brown and grey hair and hazel eyes.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Fredericton Police Force by calling 506-460-2300 or emailing steve.burgess@fredericton.ca.
Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
The Fredericton Independent reported last month that Best failed to attend court for a sentencing hearing Nov. 14 for impersonating a disabled man and defrauding the federal government.
Best pleaded guilty in August to counts of personating Kelly Lee Moses fraudulently for monetary gain and defrauding the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) of more than $5,000 between Dec. 3, 2020, and July 22, 2021, in Fredericton.
When he was a no-show for sentencing, the court noted he hadn’t attended probation services for his requested pre-sentence report, and a judge issued a warrant for his arrest.
Court heard previously Best had taken advantage of Moses’ intellectual disability so as to impersonate him and to fleece the federal government of thousands of dollars.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.
another one on the loose!!!! do we not have any jails in NB??????