Anthony Clowe, father of NHLer Ryane Clowe, chooses trial by jury

The father of Newfoundland-born NHL player Ryane Clowe has elected to be tried by Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court judge and jury on two criminal charges.

Anthony Clowe, 51, of Paradise was represented by St. John's defence lawyer Randy Piercey in court on Friday morning. 

The charges against Clowe stem from Operation Battalion, a six-month investigation conducted by a combined forces special enforcement unit in the province.

He is facing charges of possessing property obtained by crime, and laundering the proceeds of crime. 

According to an RCMP news release last March, police executed search warrants at St. John's International Airport, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport in Montreal, and homes and vehicles in the St. John's area.

Police said they seized nearly $350,000 in cash, as well as cocaine, a handgun, ammunition, brass knuckles, a stun gun and a 2012 Toyota Tundra pickup.

Ryane Clowe, a forward with the New Jersey Devils, is not implicated in the Operation Battalion probe, and does not face any charges. 

Kurt Churchill of Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s and Leroy Thomas of St. John's were also charged with numerous offences in the case, including conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, and weapons offences.

Churchill and Thomas will also be tried by judge and jury, if a preliminary inquiry finds there is enough evidence to bring the case to trial.