u/Crimenewz6ix

The father of a 10-year-old boy is facing charges of impaired operation causing bodily harm and death, after a pick-up truck crashed head-on with a provincial police cruiser near Perth.

Mattheww Bigras, 40, of Ottawa, is also charged with dangerous operation causing bodily harm and causing death.

His son, Michael, was in the truck along with another adult passenger when it collided with a marked Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) cruiser on Highway 7 in December 2025. The incident happened between Drummond School Road and Drummond Concession 7, just east of Perth.

First responders on the scene attempted to revive the young boy before he was transported to a trauma centre by helicopter.

Michael died on impact after he was ejected from the vehicle through the windshield, his mother told CityNews previously. He suffered life-threatening injuries that he could not recover from, she said, and was officially declared brain dead days before his 11th birthday.

Both, Bigras and the other passenger were taken to hospital with serious injuries. The OPP officer was sent to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

According to a fundraiser set up to support the family and the funeral costs, which raised over $80,000, it notes that Bigras was driving home from their trailer when the vehicle hit a patch of black ice, sending the truck into oncoming traffic.

The accused was released from custody and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Perth on Aug. 24.

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/05/22/father-charged-with-impaired-driving-after-crash-kills-son-injures-opp-officer/

The alleged “Southbound Bandit” who robbed four banks in York Region in 2012 has been arrested.

York Regional Police said the arrest was made following a bank robbery in the afternoon of Jan. 15 in the area of Yonge Street and Elgin Mills Road in Markham.

An unknown man entered the bank armed with a firearm and made threats, police said. The man fled with a quantity of currency.
Police said the DNA evidence recovered from the scene helped them identify the suspect and also link him to four bank robberies in Feb. 2012 committed by the “Southbound Bandit.”

In a news release on Friday, the suspect was identified as 43-year-old Almir Mujovic of no fixed address. He has been charged with five counts of robbery with a firearm, two counts of disguise with intent and one count of failure to comply with a judicial release order.

Police said at the time of his arrest, Mujovic was on a release order for an unrelated incident.

“The suspect had been seen around the scene without a mask, and investigators believe there may be additional witnesses,” police said, asking anyone with information to contact them or Crime Stoppers anonymously.


https://www.cp24.com/local/york/2026/05/22/alleged-southbound-bandit-behind-2012-bank-robberies-in-york-region-arrested-police-say/



Region of Peel – Investigators from the 12 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) have arrested and charged two men following a traffic stop in Mississauga.

On Saturday, May 17, at approximately 1:35 a.m., officers conducted a traffic stop in the area of Torbram Road and Drew Road. During the

investigation, the occupants were detained under the authority of the Cannabis Act. A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of a loaded illegally possessed handgun and a magazine containing ammunition.

As a result, the following were arrested and charged:

Tyrell Foote, 25, Mississauga

Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm

Carrying a Concealed Weapon

Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Device or Ammunition

Knowledge of Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm

Possession of a Loaded Prohibited or Restricted Firearm

Possession of a Prohibited Device or Ammunition Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized 

Occupant of Motor Vehicle Knowing There Was a Firearm

Careless Storage of a Firearm, Weapon, Prohibited Device or Ammunition

Have Care and Control of a Vehicle with Cannabis Readily Available

Kieshawn Morgan, 20, Toronto

Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm

Carrying a Concealed Weapon

Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Device or Ammunition

Knowledge of Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm

Possession of a Prohibited Device or Ammunition Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized

Occupant of Motor Vehicle Knowing There Was a Firearm

Possession of a Loaded Prohibited or Restricted Firearm

Careless Storage of a Firearm, Weapon, Prohibited

Device or Ammunition

Breach of Probation Order

At the time of his arrest, Morgan was bound by a Probation Order stemming from a previous criminal conviction. Both accused were held pending a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact investigators with the 12 Division CIB at 905-453-2121 extension 1233. Anonymous information may also be submitted by calling Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visiting peelcrimestoppers.ca.

The trial has begun for a Vaughan man charged with the second-degree murder of his girlfriend’s close friend, shot to death two years ago.

It was May 11, 2024, just after 5 a.m. when police were called to a 695 Northcliffe Blvd. near Eglinton and Dufferin streets. Inside unit 404, first responders found 20-year-old Makayla Roxburgh-Carpino suffering from life-threatening injuries. She would die at the scene.

Later that evening, 27-year-old Harold Santana Simon was arrested and charged with murder. He has pleaded not guilty.

Assistant Crown attorney Geocelyne Meyers told the jury in her opening address that Simon fired a bullet into Roxburgh-Carpino’s head after he let himself into Sentoree Kamara’s apartment. The two women were sleeping in Kamara’s bed only minutes before.

“You will hear from several witnesses whose evidence will help you decide what happened in that room and what Mr. Simon’s intent was when he pulled the trigger,” said Meyers.

Kamara, the first witness to take the stand, testified Wednesday that she dated Simon for about three years, but he was her “former” boyfriend at the time.
Kamara described their relationship as toxic, calling him jealous and controlling. She said she had told others, including Roxburgh-Carpino, who she described as a very close friend whom she saw daily, about her concerns regarding Simon.

Kamara said she had given Simon a key to her apartment because periodically she would ask him to check on her 10-year-old son, or to pick him up as he was coming off the school bus. Kamara said she asked for Simon to return the key at least five times in the days before the shooting.

She told court the couple were not talking and said she had blocked him on Instagram and on text.

“He was upset. He was calling, texting, telling me to unblock him,” Kamara said.

Kamara said she last saw Simon about a week before the shooting when he randomly popped by the apartment and let himself through the front door. Video surveillance was shown from May 7 at 3:30 a.m., showing a man Kamara identified as Simon walking through the lobby of the apartment building.

On the evening of May 10, Kamara said she and Roxburgh-Carpino decided to go out for drinks near Black Creek and Trethewey drives. While at the bar, she said Simon direct messaged either her or her friend through Instagram writing, “This is Santana. I have the phone.”

Kamara said she believed the message to mean that Simon had her son’s phone, explaining her son was home alone at the time.
“I have two phones. My iCloud is connected to both,” she explained.

“He was going through the phone. He was going to see me talking to men, I just figured.”
A direct message exchange between an account associated with Simon and Roxburgh-Carpino over Instagram was also shown, in which the user associated with Simon wrote “she deliberately trying to ruin my life, smh.”

In addition to the back-and-forth messaging on Instagram, Kamara said that Simon called Roxburgh-Carpino. She testified that she had videotaped the conversation between the two on her phone because Roxburgh-Carpino had it on speaker.
The video captured the voice of Roxburgh-Carpino saying, “You stole her house key. You’re stalking her. You’re a stalker.”

Kamara said she couldn’t remember how the phone call ended but said when she returned home, she learned from her son that Simon had been in her apartment, removed her TV from the wall mount and taken it with him.

“There was no TV on the wall,” Kamara said, explaining that she was anxious that Simon was “going to appear. I knew he wanted to talk about what he seen (sic) in my phone.”

She said the two went to bed about an hour later. Roxburgh-Carpino was sleeping on the side of the bed near the window, she was lying on the right side of the bed near the door, which was closed.

As they were sleeping, Kamara said she heard the front door to the apartment open before Simon barged into her room and woke she and Roxburgh-Carpino up.

“He was telling Makayla to come out of the room. He wanted to talk to me,” said Kamara, who said he was angry and loudly yelling.

“I was telling him to keep his voice down because my son was sleeping. He just looked very angry. He was pacing. He couldn’t contain himself. He was going up in her face. He just kept saying ‘get out of the room’ and he was calling us ‘whores.'”
Kamara said Simon then went into the living room and came back with a firearm in his hand.

“He just kept saying ‘get out of the room,'” she said.
When the Crown asked what Roxburgh-Carpino was saying. Kamara answered: “She was confused. She was asking him, ‘What is this for? What is this all about?'”

“I seen (sic) him put the gun to her head and shoot her,” Kamara told court, breaking down in tears, explaining Roxburgh-Carpino was sitting on the side of the bed and Simon was standing right in front of her.

“I got up and asked him what he did. He ran out of the house. I ran to Makayla, tried to put pressure on her wound and called 911,” Kamara said, adding that her son woke up crying.

Meyers told the jury in the Crown’s opening address that a Toronto police plainclothes officer, who was involved in the arrest of Simon, is expected to testify.

Simon was arrested during a high-risk takedown around 8:30 pm on May 11, 2024, at a gas station in Orillia after travelling out of the city in a Nissan Maxima, which was being driven by the mother of one of Simon’s children.

The jury was told that they will hear evidence that a member of the team involved in the takedown found a handgun in a bag that had been at Simon’s feet in the car.

A firearms expert is also expected to testify that handgun recovered in the car was the same gun use to kill Roxburgh-Carpino.

Simon is also charged with occupying a motor vehicle knowing there was a prohibited firearm and possessing a loaded prohibited firearm.

He has also pleaded not guilty to those two counts.

https://globalnews.ca/news/11858699/harold-santana-simon-trial-begins/

An Ontario judge has ruled in favour of a Toronto driver who was issued a traffic ticket more than 18 years ago after he found that the trial was unfair and the previous judge’s comments were “unbecoming.”

Court documents released following the appeal at Ontario’s Court of Justice last week show that Neville Greene was charged on June 4, 2007 after a Toronto police officer testified that he went through the intersection of Jane Street and Sheppard Avenue West on a red light.

Greene pleaded not guilty, claiming there was construction in the area at the time which might have impeded normal traffic flow. The trial was held before Justice of the Peace J. Frederick in Toronto on July 10, 2008 and Greene was convicted.

In delivering his decision at the time, Frederick said: “The officer was clear, concise and convincing of all the elements of the offence and the observations he made. There will be a finding of guilt and there will be a fine imposed.

”But Justice Brock Jones, who oversaw the appeal hearing last Wednesday, raised issues with Frederick’s conclusions, saying that the reasons for conviction were inadequate and failed to address any of the central issues raised at trial.

“It was not explained to me why it took nearly 18 years for the appeal to be heard, other than that the paperwork may have been ‘lost’ for a long time. Nevertheless, for the reasons that follow, I granted the appeal,” he said.

‘This isn’t ‘Law and Order,’’ judge tells appellant

Greene represented himself at the 2008 trial and during the cross-examination of the Toronto police officer he attempted to present photographs of the intersection where the alleged traffic violation took place.

Jones said the photos, which were taken a day after Greene was stopped, had “impeachment value.” He explained that Greene was trying to get the officer to respond to the suggestion that construction in the area may have impacted traffic that day, given that the officer previously testified that there was no construction taking place.

When Greene asked the judge how he could present the evidence properly, he responded by saying “this isn’t ‘Law and Order’” and that he could testify later if he wanted to.

During his testimony, Greene said he entered the intersection on a green light but was caught behind another car in the crossing as the light turned yellow. He agreed with the prosecutor that the light may have turned red while he was in the intersection, but not before he entered.

When Greene attempted to enter the photographs into evidence a second time, the judge ruled that they were inadmissible because they were taken after the offence took place.

Judge did not address or analyze appellant’s testimony ‘at all’

In awarding the appeal, Jones said the reasons for convicting Greene in 2008 fell “woefully short” of legal precedents, and even “more concerning” was that the officer’s evidence was accepted and the appellant’s was not.

“The Justice of the Peace did not address or analyze the appellant’s testimony at all, even though it could raise a reasonable doubt on an essential element of the offence: whether the appellant proceeded into the intersection when the light was red,” Jones wrote.

Jones went on to say that while courts have to prioritize efficiency amid heavy case loads, they also have a duty to ensure that self-represented individuals have a fair trial as the process is “entirely alien” to members of the public who are not legally trained.

“I observe that sarcastic remarks uttered by a Justice to a legally untrained person who is presumed innocent are unbecoming and may bring the administration of justice into disrepute,” he said.

Jones said he granted the appeal and vacated Greene’s conviction.

https://www.cp24.com/local/toronto/2026/05/21/toronto-driver-who-got-red-light-ticket-18-years-ago-wins-appeal-heres-why/?taid=6a0f1e16acead5000141476a&utm\_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm\_medium=trueAnthem&utm\_source=twitter

A personal support worker is facing charges in connection to an ongoing sexual assault investigation at a long-term care facility in Simcoe.

Ontario Provincial Police say on May 4, at around 9:30 p.m., they responded to a report of an alleged sexual assault at the care facility.

Officers took one person into custody without incident.

Detectives have charged 43-year-old Christopher Cowan of Norfolk County with sexual assault, sexual exploitation of a person with a disability and for forcible confinement as a result of the investigation.
Cowan is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Simcoe on June 16.

Investigators say Cowan has worked as a personal support worker in Norfolk County since 2023.
Anyone with information or has had contact with the accused, or has experienced similar circumstances are asked to contact police.

https://www.chch.com/chch-news/opp-charge-norfolk-psw-in-connection-to-sexual-assault-investigation-in-simcoe/

Waterloo Regional Police have arrested a male following a weapons incident in Kitchener after a victim was struck by a projectile.

On May 18, 2026, at approximately 3:35 a.m., police responded to the area of Victoria Street North and Weber Street West after receiving reports of a firearm being discharged.

Through investigation, it was determined that a male suspect discharged a weapon, believed to be a BB gun, striking a victim in the face.
The victim, a 33-year-old female, sustained minor physical injuries.

On May 20, 2026, members of WRPS’ General Investigations Unit completed a search warrant at a residence on King Street West and seized three imitation firearms as part of the investigation. 
As a result of the investigation, a 27-year-old Kitchener male was arrested and charged with the following: 

Use Imitation Firearm

Careless use of Firearm

Discharge Air Gun with intent

Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose

Carry Conceal Weapon 

Assault with a Weapon

Uttering Threats to Cause Death

The accused was held for a bail hearing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the police at 519-570-9777, extension 4496. 
Anonymous information can be provided to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.waterloocrimestoppers.com.

https://wrps.ca/news/waterloo-regional-police-arrest-male-following-weapons-incident-kitchener-0

A man accused of extortion and wanted on a Canada-wide warrant was arrested in Toronto while police continue searching for another wanted man, according to the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS).

Jermaine Weekes, 41, was arrested in Ontario by the Toronto Police Service on May 1 and turned over to Winnipeg police “on the strength of a warrant,” a news release shared by the WPS said.

Weekes will face two charges of extortion and was detained, police said.

A second man, Farhan Nabil, remains on the loose and wanted on two counts of conspiracy to commit extortion and two counts of conspiracy to commit arson, police said. The 29-year-old is subject to a nationwide warrant.

Last month, a man from Kitchener, Ont., was re-arrested in a Winnipeg correctional facility and charged with additional crimesin relation to a flurry of arsons and extortions in Winnipeg convenience stores last July, according to a police news release from April.

Four other people, including two from Montreal, were previously arrested and charged as part of this investigation

https://globalnews.ca/news/11858735/extortion-winnipeg-arrested-toronto/

The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) has arrested two men and laid multiple charges following investigation into a fraudulent scheme involving pre-purchased gift cards.

In December 2025, the HRPS received a complaint concerning a suspected fraud investigation at a Walmart Supercentre in the City of Burlington. The investigation was initiated after an unidentified male was observed removing gift cards from his pockets and placing them onto a retail display rack. The individual was subsequently seen selecting additional gift cards, concealing them, and exiting the store without attending any point of sale or attempting to activate or purchase the cards.

The scheme involved fraudulently placing compromised gift cards onto retail display racks and later monitoring the cards for activation by unsuspecting customers. Once funds were loaded onto the cards at purchase, the suspect redeemed the balances to obtain goods and other items of value before the legitimate purchaser could use them.

In March 2026, Project Reload was initiated by the Financial Crimes Unit following an investigation into the male’s suspected involvement in a sophisticated and organized gift card fraud scheme operating across multiple jurisdictions throughout Ontario. Through investigative efforts, the suspect was identified, and a vehicle believed to be connected to the offences was located. The investigation identified suspected fraudulent activity in numerous regions, including Halton, Hamilton, Brantford, Niagara, Toronto, Peel, Durham, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph, York, and Barrie.

Ongoing surveillance revealed that the suspect was actively and systematically placing gift cards onto retail display racks at various locations. During the course of the investigation, investigators seized a quantity of these gift cards and, for evidentiary purposes, loaded them with varying monetary values. In April 2026, investigators confirmed that funds from several of the monitored cards had been redeemed. Subsequent investigation determined that the suspect used the cards to purchase various goods.

On May 12 2026, members of the Financial Crimes Unit – Fraud Project Team executed three (3) Criminal Code Search Warrants in the City of Mississauga. As a result of the search warrants the suspect and a second male were arrested, and the following items seized

2012 BMW X3 SUV

5,700 prepaid gift cards with discernable values – Total at risk loss over 1 million dollars

137 bottles of alcohol seized with an approximate total value of over $11,000

Four mobile phones

MacBook

Two laptops

$700 in counterfeit currency

487 Belmont cigarettes packs with 20 cigarettes per

box – Total value over $8,000

High end watches, jewelry and sunglasses

Various perfumes

Various instruments used for tampering and forgery

Black pellet pistol

Break barrel pellet rifle

C8 style pellet rifle

Black Sig Sauer P226 pellet gun

Card making instrument and other tools to tamper with gift cards

Card printer 

As a result of the investigation the following charges have been laid:

Giorgi Khandolishvili (48) of Mississauga:

Fraud over $5000

Fraud under $5000 (2 counts)

Possession of Property Obtained by Crime under $5000

Possession of a Forged Document with Intent
Forgery

Possession of Property Obtained by Crime over $5000

Possession Instruments for Forgery

Jevgenij Piskunov (40) of Mississauga:

Fraud over $5000

Fraud under $5000

Possession of Property Obtained by Crime under $5000
Possession of a Forged Document with Intent
Forgery

Possession of Property Obtained by Crime over $5000

Possession Instruments for Forgery

Both accused were released on an Undertaking with a future court date in Milton.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the HRPS Financial Crimes Unit at 905-825-4777.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. "See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers" at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.

https://www.haltonpolice.ca/news-releases/posts/project-reload-uncovers-sophisticated-gift-card-scam/

A former Durham Regional police officer is facing multiple sexual assault charges including pointing a firearm, after a victim came forward with “new information” from an incident that took place more than 20 years ago.

In a news release issued Thursday, Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit said Director Joseph Martino has reasonable grounds to believe former officer Kevin Seamons committed several criminal offences against a female in connection with incidents alleged to have occurred in 2003.

While the release itself offered few details, documents from the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services in 2006 related to disciplinary proceedings against Seamons suggest that the unnamed victim was 17-years-old.

It also goes on to suggest that at the time of the investigation, “Constable Seamons was suspended from duty, and his locker was searched. Nine photographs of a pornographic nature were found, as well as three police batons.”

At the time, the appeal was dismissed.

The investigation was reopened in 2024 after the complainant came forward with new details, the SIU said in Thursday’s release.

As a result of the investigation, police say, Seamons was arrested by RCMP Wednesday night on a Canada-wide warrant.

He was found in Morinville, Alta., and is charged with the following:

six counts of sexual assault;

one count of sexual assault with a weapon;

seven counts of sexual exploitation;

one count of pointing a firearm;

six counts of breach of trust; and

one count of assault with a weapon.

Police say he was later released on several conditions, including a condition prohibiting direct or indirect contact with the complainant.

None of the allegations has been tested in court. Officials note Seamons is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Oshawa on June 5.

The SIU said it will not provide further comment as the matter is now before the courts.

https://www.cp24.com/local/durham/2026/05/21/former-durham-cop-charged-after-siu-relaunches-2003-sexual-assault-investigation/?taid=6a0f6473a88c2900017117fa&utm\_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm\_medium=trueAnthem&utm\_source=twitter

Hamilton Police have arrested a man after officers observed suspected drug trafficking activity in downtown Hamilton.

On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, members of the Division 10 HEAT Unit were conducting proactive patrols in the area of McNab Street South and Jackson Street when they observed a male allegedly selling drugs from a parked vehicle. Officers approached the vehicle and placed the male under arrest. During the arrest, officers located a quantity of Dilaudid in his possession.

A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of several weapons and drug-related items, including:

One 12-gauge shotgun with a modified stock

Shotgun ammunition

One 9mm Glock handgun magazine

Digital scale containing drug residue

One spring-loaded extendable baton

Throwing knives

As a result of the investigation, a 44-year-old
Hamilton man has been charged with numerous drug- and weapon-related offences, including:

Careless Use, Storage, and Transportation of a Firearm

Possession of a Firearm

Fail to Comply with Probation

Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking –

Schedule I Opioid

Possession of a Prohibited Weapon

Anyone with information that may assist investigators is asked to contact the Division 10 Staff Sergeant at 905-546-4725.

https://hamiltonpolice.on.ca/news/multiple-weapons-seized-during-drug-investigation/

Hamilton Police have arrested two individuals following an armed robbery investigation connected to a Bank of Montreal branch on Hamilton Mountain.
On May 6, 2026, at approximately 1:48 p.m., a masked male entered the BMO located at 1128 Fennell Avenue East and threatened staff while claiming to possess a firearm before fleeing the area.

As a result of an extensive investigation by the Hamilton Police B.E.A.R. Unit, investigators executed a search warrant at an East Mountain residence on May 19, 2026.

During the search, police seized:

Two loaded prohibited firearms

Extended firearm magazines

Approximately 300 grams of methamphetamine
Canadian currency believed to be proceeds of crime
This investigation resulted in more illegal guns and dangerous drugs being taken off Hamilton streets.
Charged are:

Joseph Martineau, 58 years-old from Hamilton

Lisa Kerchener, 51 years-old from Hamilton

Martineau and Kerchener jointly face the following charges:

Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm (x2)

Possession of a Loaded Prohibited Firearm (x2)

Knowledge of Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm (x2)

Possession of a Prohibited Weapon (x3)

Proceeds of Crime Over $5,000

Possession of Methamphetamine for the Purpose of Trafficking

Investigators continue to appeal for witnesses or anyone with information related to this investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Constable Dicienzo of the Hamilton Police B.E.A.R. Unit at 905-546-8934 or Detective Sergeant Brewster at 905-546-2991. To provide information anonymously, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit tips online at www.crimestoppershamilton.com.

https://hamiltonpolice.on.ca/news/armed-robbery-investigation-nets-guns-and-drugs/

Region of Peel – Investigators with Peel Regional Police’s 12 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau have arrested dozens of prolific offenders and laid more than 500 charges in an ongoing retail theft investigation targeting businesses across Brampton and Mississauga.

Between February and April, Project Filcher focused on retailers experiencing a significant surge in thefts, including Nike, LCBO, Winners and Walmart. Combined, more than 350 theft incidents resulted in over a quarter-million dollars in stolen merchandise.

Through a coordinated, intelligence-led investigation, officers identified and located repeat offenders believed to be responsible for a substantial number of these incidents. As a result, Project Filcher led to 65 arrests and the laying of 545 charges related to retail theft offences.

Project Filcher was supported through the Community Safety and Policing Grant, provided by the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General.

The investigation remains ongoing and additional arrests are anticipated.

Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact investigators with the 12 Division Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905‑453‑2121, ext. 1233. Anonymous tips can also be provided through Peel Crime Stoppers at 1‑800‑222‑TIPS (8477) or by visiting www.peelcrimestoppers.ca.

QUICK FACTS

65 arrests and 545 criminal charges, with more arrests and charges anticipated

Over a quarter-million dollars in stolen merchandise
More than 350 retail theft incidents between February and April

Retail theft charges laid between January and March rose from 522 in 2024 and 1076 in 2025 to 1,300 in 2026, an increase of 149 per cent

Retail arrests made between January and March rose from 223 in 2024 and 560 in 2025 to 752 in 2026, an increase of 237 per cent

QUOTE

“Project Filcher demonstrates our unwavering commitment to holding offenders accountable and protecting businesses in our community. Organized retail theft is not a victimless crime because it drives up costs, impacts livelihoods and undermines public safety. Through proactive, intelligence-led policing and strong partnerships with retailers, our officers have disrupted criminal activity and made our communities safer.”

—    Deputy Chief Marc Andrews, Peel Regional Police

“Organized retail theft threatens the safety of workers, businesses and communities, which is why our government is proud to support investigations like Project Filcher through the Community Safety and Policing Grant.  This operation is another example of our plan to protect Ontario by giving police the tools and resources they need to crack down on repeat offenders, hold criminals accountable and keep communities safe.”

—    Michael S. Kerzner, Solicitor General of Ontario

https://www.peelpolice.ca/news-feed/posts/project-filcher-more-than-500-charges-laid-in-major-retail-theft-investigation-pr260129003/

In May of 2026, detectives with the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) 1 District (St. Catharines/Thorold) Street Crime Unit (SCU) commenced an investigation into the trafficking of controlled substances within the city of St. Catharines.

On May 21, 2026, a Controlled Drugs and Substances Act search warrant was granted for a residence in the area of Welland Avenue and Geneva Street in St. Catharines.

With the assistance of the Emergency Task Unit, Marine Unit, K9 and Uniform Officers, the search warrant was executed.  36-year-old Jeremy Butterworth of St. Catharines was arrested and charged with the following offences.

Possession of a firearm without holding a license

Careless storage of a firearm

Possession of a weapon

Possession of a loaded firearm

Possession of a prohibited/restricted firearm

Unauthorized possession of a firearm

Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5000

Possession of a firearm contrary to prohibition order

Possession of a schedule 1 substance for the

purpose of trafficking (Fentanyl)

Possession of a schedule 1 substance for the

purpose of trafficking (Cocaine)

Possession of a schedule 1 substance for the

purpose of trafficking (Hydromorphone)

BUTTERWORTH remains in custody and is scheduled to attend a bail hearing Thursday, May 21,
2026, at the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse, located at 59 Church Street in St. Catharines.
Detectives seized the following items during the search.

Loaded Glock 45 firearm

Firearm Ammunition

352.5 grams of suspected fentanyl (estimated value of $35,250)

250 tablets of suspected Dilaudid (estimated value of $5,000)

73.4 grams of suspected cocaine (estimated value of $6,600)

$7742 in CAD

$91 in USD

Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service’s 1 District Street Crime Unit at 905-688-4111, option 3, extension 1009971.

Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously are encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to persons who contact the program with information that leads to an arrest.

https://www.niagarapolice.ca/news/posts/st-catharines-male-arrested-on-weapons-and-drug-trafficking-charges/

A 23-year-old Windsor man found guilty last year of participating in the activity of a neo-Nazi terrorist group has been sentenced to just under nine months in jail and three years probation.

The RCMP charged Seth Bertrand with participating in or contributing to — directly or indirectly — the activity of a terrorist group in 2022. The charge came after he tried to join the Atomwaffen Division, a far-right extremist organization, the year prior.

Justice Maria Carroccia delivered the sentence at the Superior Court of Justice in Windsor on Wednesday morning. She said she considered both the seriousness of the terrorism-related offence as well as factors such as Bertrand's difficult family upbringing — and disavowal of his old beliefs — in determining the sentence.

Carroccia said the five days Bertrand spent in custody after his arrest would count for eight days of credit against his jail sentence. After that, he'll serve three years probation and have restrictions on his internet use, among other conditions.

'An important decision': Crown

Bertrand, wearing black dress pants and a striped collared shirt, hugged his family tightly in the courtroom before being taken into custody. His lawyer, Bobby Russon, had asked for a three-year suspended sentence that Bertrand would have served from home.

"I think he's OK. This is around the range we expected," Russon told reporters afterward, adding that the judge "did a good job recognizing" that Bertrand's involvement in the terrorism-related activities was "significantly lower" than that of people sentenced in similar cases.

The charge carried a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The Crown had sought a three-year prison sentence. Still, federal prosecutor Xenia Proestos said she feels the judge's decision sends a warning to the public.

"As Justice Carroccia said, all terrorism offences are serious," she told reporters outside the courthouse. "They strike at fundamental Canadian core values, and I think this was an important case, an important decision."

Judge notes Bertrand's unstable past

Before revealing her sentence, Carroccia detailed Bertrand's circumstances at the time of his offence. He was 18 and had had a difficult childhood that included an absent father, as well as a mother who faced domestic violence and substance abuse problems.

Bertrand was also diagnosed with attention deficit disorder as a child and was bullied in school. He was sent home often due to angry outbursts, the judge said, and didn't graduate high school.
Carroccia cited a psychologist's assessment of

Bertrand that found that he has an "underdeveloped capacity to manage the influence of negative peers" and "anti-social personality traits." Those issues, combined with "weak problem solving skills and social circumstances," make him more vulnerable to negative influences.

Carroccia said that as a result, she believes that a lengthy sentence in a federal penitentiary could actually pose a greater risk to both Bertrand and the public.

“Seth Bertrand in many ways was an ideal candidate for indoctrination into an ideologically motivated violent extremist group," she said. “Those personal circumstances, however, do not absolve him of responsibility for his actions.”

'He did some of the stupidest things on earth'

Canada listed the Atomwaffen Division, also known as the National Socialist Order, as a terrorist entity in 2021. Bertrand tried to join just a few weeks later, per the RCMP. In the online application, he pledged loyalty to the group, court heard, and offered his skills as a mechanic and military cadet.

The Atomwaffen Division "promotes a philosophy that individuals should carry out attacks against institutions and civilians to increase societal tensions, collapsing the government, and creating a National Socialist state for the white race out of the chaos," according to the federal government.

In an interview with police in 2022, Bertrand admitted to trying to join the group but said he never carried out any official acts on its behalf.

"That was me for a while. It was f--ked. A very dark patch in my life that I do not like," he said in the interview, a video of which was played during the trial.

Carroccia said that at that time, Bertrand had developed anger toward same-sex couples in part because his girlfriend had left him for another woman.

Bertrand was first arrested for hateful vandalismtargeting members of the local 2SLGBTQ+ community in 2021. He pleaded guilty to three counts of mischief and one count of inciting hatred the year after, and served five months of house arrest.

"I think he had one of the worst six to nine months period a person can have," Russon, Bertrand's defence attorney, said Wednesday. "He did some of the stupidest things on earth, and quite frankly, he's lucky he was caught because if he wasn't, who knows what else he would have done. He really isn't that person now."

Bertrand has a job at an auto shop now, court heard, and has started counseling. He espouses inclusive views and is trying to better himself, the judge said.

Once on probation, he'll be limited to one account per online platform, and will have to provide full access to those accounts when requested by his probation officer. He'll also be banned from accessing or possessing violent extremist materials.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/seth-bertrand-windsor-sentence-terror-group-atomwaffen-nazi-9.7204824?\_\_vfz=medium%3Dsharebar

A record-breaking $37.2 million worth of cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl was removed from Canadian streets following an interprovincial drug bust, according to Winnipeg police.

The operation, dubbed Project Puma by the services involved, was described as a “success” by Manitoba’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General Matt Wiebe, who commended the joint effort at the press conference on Wednesday.

Police said 33 people were arrested and 174 charges were laid nationwide as part of the project that spanned two years.

It led to the seizure of 339 kilograms of methamphetamine, 175 kg of cocaine, 11.25 kg of fentanyl, as well as a number of unidentified pills, according to the Winnipeg Police Service.

The meth had an estimated wholesale value of $2.7 million and street value of $16.9 million.

The bricks of cocaine had an estimated wholesale value of $4.375 million, which translated to an estimated street value of $17.5 million.

The fentanyl was pegged at a wholesale value of $225,000 but on the street, valued at $2.7 million.
Among those taken into custody were “core” players in the drug world, as well as lower-level individuals, police said.

Some of those arrested were said to be “associated” with larger criminal organizations, including the Hell’s Angels, the Wolfpack Alliance gang and unnamed Mexican cartels.

“Criminal networks no longer operate within silos,” Insp. Josh Ewatski from the WPS organized crime division told reporters at police headquarters.

He added Project Puma involved co-ordinated enforcement and covert operations in which officers purchased large amounts of drugs.

In addition to the kilograms of illegal substances, police seized 12 handguns, one shotgun and one carbine gun, according to the WPS.

Officers also confiscated seven vehicles, around $825,000 in cash and 1.35 million illegal cigarettes, according to police.

This number of illegal cigarettes would have seen approximately $400,000 in taxes go unpaid if they were sold, Ewatski said.

Seven of the people facing charges pleaded guilty and were sentenced. The sentences ranged from three to 16 years, said Ewatski.

“A lot of this investigation, and the charges that were laid, are still before the courts. So, I can’t comment too deeply on specific groups,” Ewatski added.

Drugs were said to be travelling across provincial and national borders.

They were being imported from the U.S. via commercial vehicles and warehoused in Ontario and Alberta.

From there, they were shipped via mail or courier or tucked away and taken by a vehicle to Manitoba, he explained.

“The scale of methamphetamine and cocaine seizures is particularly significant, highlighting the volume of harmful substances being trafficked across provincial boundaries,” said Acting Detective Supt. of the Ontario Provincial Police, Andy Bradford.

“The removal of these drugs, along with a significant amount of currency and numerous illegal firearms, represents a meaningful disruption to organized crime networks and their ability to cause harm.”

Arrests were made in parts of the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area, including in Brantford, as well as in northwestern Ontario’s community of Kenora, where it borders Manitoba, the OPP officer said.

In Alberta, an Edmonton woman was arrested after RCMP in the neighbouring Parkland Co0unty tracked her cellphone and noticed her moving towards Calgary and Manitoba.

“At that point, the file transitioned from a localized investigation to one requiring inter-provincial and inter-agency coordination,” said Insp. Kevin McGillivray of the Alberta RCMP’s Parkland detachment.

The southern Alberta detachment got in touch with the WPS. Both forces monitored the woman until she was pulled over for a traffic stop and subsequently arrested, in Winnipeg, he said.

“No single agency could have achieved this result alone,” McGillivray added.

He complimented the combined efforts and their expected effects as the forces disrupted the production and trafficking process.

Arrests were made over the course of this two-year investigation, according to Ewatski, who said most occurred in recent months.

Two people from Brantford, Ont., Randy Chao and Tyler DeFelice, are wanted on conspiracy-related charges in relation to Project Puma, the WPS said.

In February 2026, the Edmonton Police Service and Parkland RCMP launched a joint drug trafficking investigation they said was tied to shared intelligence and findings from the WPS investigation.

Last month, Edmonton police raided a property in that city’s downtown and seized $8 million in cocaine, meth and a buffing agent, along with cash and a gun.

“We’re pleased our partners at the Winnipeg Police Service brought their large-scale investigation to a successful conclusion, and that EPS officers were able to locate and arrest a suspect in Edmonton found with more than 80 kilograms of drugs,” said Edmonton drugs and gang unit Staff Sgt. Jen McCann.

The 33 people arrested and charged are: Bahadur Bobir, 30; Zubair Mohammad-Zarif, 34; Samantha Graham, 28; Christopher Rundle, 44; Tyren Petiquan-Landon, 19; Ronald Zastre, 33; Tiffany Church, 34; Matthew Haiko, 46; Tongun Tongun, 24; Hothaifa Hassan, 24; George McFarlane, 50; Clinton Netengesic, 36; Addison Perry, 29; Daniel Finkbeiner, 38; Savannah McDougall, 24; Thomas Barnecki, 45; Cory Cozmenski, 48; Carol Dignard, 63; Norman Leduc, 60; Connor Abraham, 21; Mohammed Makhlouf, 23; Gage Hale, 31; Seth Driedger, 24; Shelby Hershfeldt, 39; Kaleigh Lajoie, 22 — all of Winnipeg. Also charged: Richard Barnecki, 43, of Ile Des Chenes; Gary Benjamin Thompson, 45, of Morris; Braeden Lindsay, 27, of Brandon; Merrick Wieler, 35, of Winkler; Chelsea Mageau, 35, of Edmonton; William Meredith, 25, of Kenora, Ont.; and Vatana Chao, 35, and Preaktra Chao, 33, both of Brantford, Ont.

https://globalnews.ca/news/11857321/cross-country-drug-bust/

The CBSA is Protecting Canadians by stopping weapons at the border. In 7 days, 9 illegally imported firearms

7 prohibited weapons,

45 rounds of ammunition &

6 magazines -

all undeclared - were seized from travellers entering Canada in SouthernOntario.

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1373492881473134&id=100064373064035

Members of the Northumberland Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are investigating a number of incidents reported recently.

On May 17, 2026, shortly after 6:30 p.m., suspicious Remotely Piloted Aerial System (drone) activity was reported near Warkworth Institution in the Municipality of Brighton.

Officers attended the area and located two individuals on Percy Boom Road. As a result of the investigation, a drone, cell phones, and approximately 650 grams of suspected drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine, and cannabis, were seized.

Andrew MACDONALD-ELY (31) from Gatineau, Quebec, has been charged with:

·        Mischief – obstructs, interrupts or interferes with the lawful use, enjoyment or operation of property

·        Possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking

·        Delivers contraband to, or receives contraband from an inmate

Abir MOHAMMED KHAN (27) from Montreal, Quebec, has been charged with:

·        Mischief – obstructs, interrupts or interferes with the lawful use, enjoyment or operation of property

·        Possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking

·        Delivers contraband to, or receives contraband from an inmate

Both accused were held for bail to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Cobourg.

The OPP and CSC work in close partnership to maintain the safety and security of correctional institutions and surrounding communities. This collaboration includes proactive measures to prevent the introduction of contraband, thorough investigations when incidents occur, and enforcement of applicable laws. Together, CSC and the OPP are committed to protecting staff, inmates, and the public by addressing activities that threaten institutional safety, including the trafficking of illicit substances.

https://todaysnorthumberland.ca/2026/05/20/northumberland-opp-drone-operators-arrested-part-of-recap/amp/

A Toronto man who killed his brother and stabbed a woman before being found not criminally responsible will be allowed to go on supervised visits in the city despite still being deemed a “significant threat to the safety of the public.

”In a recent decision released by the Ontario Review Board, a five-person panel accepted a joint submission that although Kenroy Samuel continues to represent a threat, his progress under psychiatric care and “sustained clinical stability” warranted an expansion of his privileges.

Samuel, who’s been diagnosed with schizophrenia, cannabis use disorder and major depressive disorder, was first charged with assault causing bodily harm in connection with a stabbing on Dec. 6, 2019. The board heard that Samuel approached a woman from behind in the area of Northcliffe Boulevard and Eglinton Avenue West early that morning and stabbed her in the back.

“The victim did not realize that she had been stabbed at first, as she was stunned by the encounter. She made her way to the hospital, where she was treated for her injury,” the decision read.

Samuel was later identified as the suspect based on video surveillance of the incident and witnesses. The victim was left with soreness to her upper back between the spine and right shoulder blade, which required two stitches.

According to a report from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), where Samuel is set to be transferred, he had been noncompliant with the recommended treatment for his major mental illness and abused Tylenol 3 and cannabis leading up to the incident.

“He was experiencing auditory hallucinations and paranoia that included his mother screaming for help and delusions that ‘they’ would kill her if he did not stab someone,” the decision noted.

Months later, Samuel was arguing with his mother in their apartment when she contacted her other son, Birchfield Matthews. When Matthews entered the unit at 6 a.m., to intervene and diffuse the situation, Samuel fatally stabbed him in the chest with a kitchen knife. He was charged with manslaughter.

Transfer to CAMH pending

Samuel is in the process of being transferred from Penetanguishene’s Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Ontario’s most secure psychiatric hospital, to CAMH. He’s currently first in line for a transfer to the downtown Toronto facility at Queen Street and Ossington Avenue.

In a summary of Samuel’s psychiatric background, it’s noted that he has no criminal history prior to the two offences he was charged in and has not been physically aggressive during his current hospitalization.

His psychiatrist stated that Samuel is “optimally treated” under his current medication regimen, and agreed to switch to an injectable anti-psychotic medication “without hesitation.”

“He is not exhibiting active psychotic symptoms and has demonstrated improved insight into his mental illness and substance use. He is participating in structured therapy and vocational rehabilitation. Hospital staff believe he would be able to identify early signs of relapse and seek support if needed,” the decision read, nothing that he is on a “very positive trajectory.”

The report also highlighted that Samuel expresses guilt, shame and emotional distress about the incidents in 2019 and 2020, and wishes he could “go back.”

Despite his progress, when asked if Samuel could be eligible for 24/7 supervised accommodations in the community, his psychiatrist responded: “Samuel is doing well, but it is necessary to place him on a general unit at the hospital first, to build trust and therapeutic alliance.”

The board concluded that although Samuel’s privileges will be expanded, the timeline to award them will be done so gradually and based on his ability to adapt to them.

https://www.cp24.com/local/toronto/2026/05/20/toronto-man-found-not-criminally-responsible-in-deadly-stabbing-granted-escorted-visits-in-the-gta-despite-still-being-deemed-a-significant-threat/