Fort St. John property at risk of civil forfeiture due to ‘repeated unlawful activity’

FORT ST. JOHN — A Fort St. John property is on the verge of civil forfeiture due to frequent reports of criminal activity.

The Civil Forfeiture Office of BC was established in 2005, and “targets the proceeds and instruments of unlawful activity to ensure that people cannot profit from unlawful activity or use property to seriously harm others,” according to the province. 

The director of civil forfeiture began proceedings against the property at 10316 112th Avenue on June 6th, 2024.

Documents obtained by Energeticcity.ca state the property is on a three-year probationary period as of February 10th, 2025.

If it is used for unlawful activity during the probationary period, it could be subject to forfeiture.

The defendant and owner of the property, Harold Scott Campbell, is accused of using the property or letting others use the property to facilitate unlawful activity.

The RCMP have reportedly received over 50 calls in relation to the property while Campbell has been the registered owner due to a variety of alleged criminal offences and bylaw infractions.

“Campbell had direct knowledge of, or was willfully blind to, the unlawful activity,” the civil forfeiture office said in its notice of civil claim.

“Campbell has continued to permit the property to be used for, and benefited from, the unlawful activity.”

According to civil forfeiture documents, this unlawful activity includes break and enter, careless use of a firearm, kidnapping, theft, possession of property obtained by crime, trafficking in property obtained by crime, possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and/or trafficking in a controlled substance, enabling/or managing the purchase of sexual services and benefiting materially from the purchase of sexual services.

The office also alleges the property was used to launder the proceeds of criminal activity and that Campbell failed to declare his taxable income.

Documents also list some alleged criminal occurrences. On March 18th, 2022, an unknown person allegedly fired a shotgun through the front window of the home and on August 2nd, 2023, four people allegedly drove up to the home in a stolen vehicle, broke into the house and fired a gun.

Three months later, on November 2nd, 2023, four people allegedly broke into and entered the home before exchanging gunfire with the occupants of the house. Three bullets allegedly then pierced through the exterior wall and kitchen of a neighbouring property.

Later that day, RMCP executed a search warrant of the property and officers said they found two homemade firearms, one with a suppressor; ammunition; bear spray; 20 grams of methamphetamine; and a dismantling operation for stolen bicycles.

Various tenants of the home were arrested by RCMP after the alleged incidents on November 2nd, 2023.

While the Civil Forfeiture Office says the property has been used by Campbell to engage in criminal activity, it says the company Campbell financed the purchase of the property with had nothing to do with the criminal activity taking place at the residence.

“To the best of the director’s information and belief, the mortgagee did not participate in or know of or have reason to know of the unlawful activity,” the documents read.