Two people have been charged with more than 50 charges after a fraud investigation led to the seizure of 25 firearms last month.
On Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, family members of an estate reported a fraud involving the sale of their deceased father’s estate property by an auction company located in Claresholm, Alta. The family reported that on Saturday, April 19, 2025, the estate entered into an agreement with Starling Auctions to legally sell a large collection of valuable firearms including restricted and rare items. The following Saturday, April 26, 2025, Starling Auctions hosted an online auction where some of the firearms were legally auction off to licensed buyers with a profit of more than $93,000 to be paid back to the estate. However, during the auction the estate noticed that some of the most valuable firearms were not included in the lot.
In the months that passed, the estate made several attempts to collect payment from Starling Auctions that went unsuccessful. In September, Starling Auctions issued a cheque to the estate that was later returned due to insufficient funds. The estate continued to inquire about the location of the firearms missing from the original auction and began to have concerns that the auction house retained them unlawfully.
On Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, warrants were executed on two rural properties outside Claresholm. As a result, 25 firearms were recovered, 19 of which were identified, with an estimated total value of $19,000. Investigators also determined that while Starling Auctions held a valid business Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL), the two individuals in possession of the firearms did not.
As a result, two people have been charged in relation to the fraud.
Jesse Ray STARLING, 46, of Willow Creek, Alta., has been charged with:
· 25 counts of careless storage of a firearm
· 22 counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm
· One count of fraud over $5000
Whitney Starling, 19, of Willow Creek, Alta., has been charged with one count each of careless storage of a firearm and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
They will next appear in court on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.
“The estate took every legal step to ensure the firearms were sold responsibly through licensed channels, honouring both the law and the legacy of the collection,” says District 2 Insp. Keith Hurley. “This case highlights the serious risks when firearms fall into the wrong hands especially when trusted intermediaries exploit the system.”
The Calgary Police Service would like to thank the RCMP for their assistance with the investigation.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact police by calling 403-266-1234. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers through any of the following methods:
TALK: 1-800-222-8477
TYPE: www.calgarycrimestoppers.org
APP: P3 Tips
Case #: CA25408891/6000
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