Saskatoon police have laid 54 new charges against Alexa Emerson in connection with eight suspicious package incidents over the past few weeks.
Emerson, who’s also known as Amanda Totchek, is charged with eight counts of public mischief, eight counts of mischief over $5,000, 14 counts of uttering threats, six counts of identity theft and 18 counts of breach of recognizance, police said Tuesday.
The 31-year-old turned herself in to police Monday morning.She had been wanted on a Canada-wide warrant.
The warrant was issued on Friday after several packages containing white powder were sent in March and April to local businesses, a cancer centre and a school.
Police initially said she was wanted in relation to six of eight suspicious package incidents and stated officers were still investigating the two most recent reports, but a media release Tuesday clarified she was charged in all eight deliveries.
The powder was found to be not dangerous in all the cases.
Emerson, who had been out on bail since January, is also facing charges in connection to the delivery of suspicious packages in late fall.
Five envelopes were dropped off Nov. 29 at five locations in Saskatoon. More than $80,200 was spent on emergency response.
Three people were arrested after the incidents, but two were later released without charges. Police alleged Emerson hired the pair to deliver the packages and that the two were unaware of the contents.
Emerson was in police custody at the time the five packages were delivered. She had turned herself in to police that morning in connection to charges related to an October incident, her lawyer at the time, Brian Pfefferle, said shortly after the deliveries.
In the October incident, according to a court document, Emerson is accused of sending videos, depicting herself being bound, assaulted and threatened, to a number of people. The videos were intended to mislead a police officer into suspecting a man of committing a crime he did not commit, the documents allege.
A trial on the 15 charges she’s facing in connection to the Nov. 29 incidents and on charges of criminal harassment, public mischief and providing false information in relation to the October incident is scheduled to begin in May.
She’s pleaded not guilty to all charges. None of the allegations against her have been proven in court.
Pfefferle, whose office recently received a suspicious package, said Monday he would be stepping down as Emerson’s lawyer.