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“The funny thing is, gang members didn’t like Chapman. In fact, they hated him,” said the source. “But he was the one who had the contacts.”

While the group’s alleged involvement in Calgary’s underground drug trade was known around town at least as early as 2014, details about how and when they got their start is murkier.

Described by one source as “the biggest drug dealer in Calgary,” Chapman’s reputation as a Cowtown kingpin was largely built on violence both within and outside of the city’s narcotics underworld, Postmedia has learned.

Court records obtained by Postmedia show Project Arbour represents the first criminal charges laid against Chapman.

Many former associates and hockey teammates declined interview requests, while those who did agree did so under a condition of anonymity, fearing for their well-being.

Born in 1992, Chapman was mostly known in his younger years for his talent on the ice.

In 2007, the 6-foot-1, 181-pound defenceman played 27 games with the midget AAA Calgary Flames, ranking in his team’s top 10 for goals, assists and penalty minutes.

The same year, Chapman was a fifth-round pick by the Swift Current Broncos in the 2007 WHL Bantam draft, chosen 96th overall.

Lacing up for the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) for the 2008-09 season, Chapman played 10 games for the Calgary Royals — today known as the Mustangs — before being traded to the Drayton Valley Thunder — the final stop on his junior hockey career.