Man Arrested for Disrupting Filming in Riverdale HBO has been filming a movie featuring Michael B. Jordan and Scarborough-born YouTube star Lilly Singh, however a frustrated neighbour of 450 Pape Avenue took matters into his own hands, resulting in his arrest on Monday Afternoon. HBO was filming Fahrenheit 451, when they were disrupted by Nick Shcherban who set up two speakers and an amplifier in his backyard, and pointed it in the direction of 450 Pape Ave. He was charged with mischief – interfere with property, public mischief, criminal harassment and causing a disturbance. He will have his bail hearing today. Not only did the film crew have an issue with his loud music on Monday, but residents also called authorities and issued noise complaints against him, which prompted a visit from police to discuss the complaint, later resulting in him being escorted into a police car – while the film crew watched. The city confirmed that the film company did engage with the community to get support and approval for the late night filming that took place, and to ensure the public that all filming will be limited to the property and inside the residence. The mansion located at Pape and Riverdale has previously been used for the movie It and CTV show Orphan Black. If you require representation for criminal offences, please contact our Criminal Lawyer David Schell, or call Devry Smith Frank LLP at 416-449-1400 today. By: Nicolas Di Nardo “This article is intended to inform and entertain. Its content does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon by readers as such. If you require legal assistance, please see a lawyer. Each case is unique and a lawyer with good training and sound judgment can provide you with advice tailored to your specific situation and needs.” By Fauzan SiddiquiBlog, Criminal LawSeptember 13, 2017June 18, 2020
CBSA Arrests 2, Recovers 273kg of Cocaine in Sailboat at Nova Scotia Harbour Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers found approximately 273kg of cocaine on board a 29 foot boat, calling it “unusual” that such a small vessel had that much of a load. This is not the first seizure that the CBSA has seen in Nova Scotia, and it won’t be the last. The second most significant seizure they found was 200kg of hashish that was found hidden in a chocolate bar shipment in May. They record between “130 and 159 drug seizures every year.” The CBSA has arrested two men in connection with this bust, and they are: Jacques John Grenier, boat owner, charged with: Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking Conspiracy to import cocaine Importing cocaine and Luc Chevrefils, charged with: Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking Conspiracy to import cocaine The CBSA had prior knowledge of the boat’s arrival. They found the bricks hidden in a sealed bed frame, which had brand new screws holding it together. Dominic Mallette, the agency’s acting director said “[their] officers are trained to look in those areas…if the vessel is 20 years old and the screws are brand new, that means somebody’s been there recently.” If you require representation for criminal offences, please contact our Criminal Lawyer David Schell, or call Devry Smith Frank LLP at 416-449-1400 today. By: Nicolas Di Nardo “This article is intended to inform and entertain. Its content does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon by readers as such. If you require legal assistance, please see a lawyer. Each case is unique and a lawyer with good training and sound judgment can provide you with advice tailored to your specific situation and needs.” By Fauzan SiddiquiBlog, Criminal LawSeptember 12, 2017June 18, 2020
Brazil’s Former Presidents accused of Forming a Criminal Organization Former President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Dilma Rousseff and other staff part of their Workers’ Party have been accused of forming a criminal organization. Charges were filed on Tuesday as part of an investigation into a scheme to inflate state contracts to pay kickbacks and bribes to politicians. The corruption probe has netted dozens of executives and senior politicians. An accusation against Rousseff includes: Suspicion of breaking budgetary rules by shifting money around to cover short-term deficits, ultimately landing her on an impeachment trial Some accusations against Luiz include: Multi-billion dollar bribery scheme revolving around the state-run oil company, Petrobras Obstruction charges on suspicion that he tried to pay a former Petrobras executive to stop him from giving information to authorities Silva, his successor and allies are accused of orchestrating the receipt of around $480 million in bribes. Silva alone faces several charges and has already been sentenced to 9 ½ years in another case, which he is appealing. For more information see: LA Times If you require representation for criminal offences, please contact our Criminal Lawyer David Schell, or call Devry Smith Frank LLP at 416-449-1400 today. By: Nicolas Di Nardo “This article is intended to inform and entertain. Its content does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon by readers as such. If you require legal assistance, please see a lawyer. Each case is unique and a lawyer with good training and sound judgment can provide you with advice tailored to your specific situation and needs.” By Fauzan SiddiquiBlog, Criminal LawSeptember 7, 2017June 18, 2020
Driver Acquitted of Impaired Driving Charges after News Crew Filmed Him at RIDE Checkpoint Due to a Global News crew filming a man who was pulled over, Kunal Gautam, at a RIDE check, a judge has acquitted his impaired driving charges. The judge, Ontario Court Justice David Rose said in his statement that Gautam has been acquitted as a result of: No evidence to suggest that York Regional Police placed any restrictions on the Global News TV crew Kunal Gautam’s rights to counsel were violated and to be free from unreasonable search and seizure were infringed upon (Charter rights were violated) Publicizing of a fairly routine police alcohol driving interdiction program Gautam blew two breath samples which came back at 152 and 146mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. While he was on the phone with a lawyer, a camera operator even placed his camera at the window pointing directly at Gautam while he was in the phone booth, making him feel uncomfortable when asking the lawyer questions, which resulted in the right to counsel violation. With the overwhelming effort of the Global News crew to gain access to the RIDE process and even interview Gautam during the segment, the judge had no choice but to exclude the blood alcohol content from evidence due to the violations, ultimately acquitting all of the charges against Gautam. If you are in need of legal advice or representation, please contact the lawyers at Devry Smith Frank LLP. You may visit our website or contact us directly at 416-449-1400 for more information. By: Nicolas Di Nardo “This article is intended to inform and entertain. Its content does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon by readers as such. If you require legal assistance, please see a lawyer. Each case is unique and a lawyer with good training and sound judgment can provide you with advice tailored to your specific situation and needs.” By Fauzan SiddiquiBlog, Criminal LawAugust 31, 2017June 18, 2020
Former Lottery Worker Sentenced to 25 years for Rigging Winnings On Tuesday, former security director for the Multistate Lottery Association (MLA) Eddie Tipton, was given the maximum sentence – 25 years. Tipton was charged with ongoing criminal conduct for a scheme involving seven lottery tickets in five states, the court documents read. He rigged computer codes that would produce winning numbers which netted him and his accomplices millions. He was accused of buying tickets in various states and selecting numbers that he knew would win, since he designed the program that generated the winning numbers. Tipton then gave the tickets to third parties who cashed the winning ticket and split the money. In addition to the ongoing criminal conduct charge, Tipton was charged with money laundering but prosecutors agreed to drop the charge. His 25 year sentence will be severed concurrently with his five and a half year sentence in Wisconsin, which he pleaded guilty to theft by fraud and computer crime. Tipton also agreed to pay significant amounts to four lotteries, totalling about $2.2 million: $1.1 million to the Colorado lottery $644,000 to the Oklahoma lottery $391,000 to the Wisconsin lottery $30,000 to the Kansas lottery When Judge Brad McCall asked him on Tuesday how he intended to repay the money, Tipton said, “Initially, I really don’t know.” Tipton’s lawyer said he expects his client will serve three to four years before being released. At DSF we have many practice areas to suit your needs. If you require a criminal law lawyer, please visit our criminal law page and contact lawyer David Schell. By: Nicolas Di Nardo “This article is intended to inform and entertain. Its content does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon by readers as such. If you require legal assistance, please see a lawyer. Each case is unique and a lawyer with good training and sound judgment can provide you with advice tailored to your specific situation and needs.” By Fauzan SiddiquiBlog, Criminal LawAugust 23, 2017June 19, 2020
Police now require Search Warrants to Obtain Hydro Records for Grow-Op Investigations By: Nicolas Di Nardo Police practices are about to change, now that the Ontario Court of Appeal has ruled that police investigating a suspected marijuana grow-op now require a search warrant to obtain hydro records from utility companies. The Ontario Court of Appeal made this ruling in a case that involved police investigating a grow-op in a Hamilton home. This landmark decision sends a message to law enforcement as well as hydro companies. It is common practice for police to review hydro-usage patterns in order to identify grow-ops, because they use enormous amounts of electricity compared to they average home. “Now, police must obtain a warrant or other judicial authorization in order to search and seize hydro consumption records” with respect to suspected grow operations. The defendants rented a home with a grow-op in the basement. The hydro company that co-operated with police is Horizon Utilities, which has a customized software to detect patterns of electricity use that are consistent with grow operations. However, the court ruling notes that the hydro company forwarded the information to the police. This is actually a common practice by Ontario utility companies, and have never required a warrant to do so – however, Paul Lewin, the lawyer for the defendants, said that Horizon went a step further by forwarding the police the information rather than waiting for the police to contact them for the records. This, comes after the surveillance and investigating, when they requested additional information about the electricity use at the home, including neighbouring residences, with Horizon voluntarily complying. Following surveillance, the police applied for a warrant to search the residence, which relied on, in part, the electricity usage that was supplied by Horizon. Police discovered the grow-op in the basement, seized $23,000 and charged the defendants. They were convicted in 2014, after the judge deemed their rights were not violated under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Judges of the Court of Appeal did find their rights against an unreasonable search and seizure violated when Horizon shared the information with the police, which launched the investigation. Justice David Doherty wrote in the decision released August 11, that “the examination and use of the data by the police was not authorized by law, and therefore could not be reasonable within the meaning of s. 8 of the Charter… the appellants’ right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure was breached.” As stated earlier, the evidence was not excluded because judges believe the police might have believed in good faith that they were entitled to the energy data without a warrant. Now, once pot becomes legal next year, if police suspect people are exceeding the allowance put in place (four plants for Canadians, 12 plants for medical growers) they will have to request a warrant in order to obtain any records, keeping what goes on in the home, private. At Devry Smith Frank LLP we have experienced lawyers in all areas of law. If you are looking for a lawyer or have general questions, please feel free to contact one of our lawyers today, or call us directly at 416-449-1400. “This article is intended to inform and entertain. Its content does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon by readers as such. If you require legal assistance, please see a lawyer. Each case is unique and a lawyer with good training and sound judgment can provide you with advice tailored to your specific situation and needs.” By Fauzan SiddiquiBlog, Criminal LawAugust 17, 2017June 19, 2020
Toronto Man Subjected To ‘Cruel and Unusual’ Punishment While Detained By Brantford Police By: Nicolas Di Nardo, Junior Marketing & Administrator Treatment of prisoners is a big issue that for the most part, goes unseen by many all over the world. Many countries are full of corrupt law enforcement officers, horrible prison conditions, or do not follow the basic rights that are to be given to prisoners. However, you’d never suspect that a prisoner in Canada would go through and type of ‘cruel and unusual’ treatment that we hear about on the news. Unfortunately, it still does happen in our own backyard. Philip Alafe didn’t expect something like this to happen in Canada either, especially to him. Alafe, 27, is from Nigeria and is currently applying for refugee status. He was arrested back in July 2015 for dangerous driving, and assault with a weapon for driving dangerously at others. Upon his arrest, he disclosed his mental health issues – depression and anxiety – along with his disease, sick cell anemia, which without medication he can be left in an abundance of pain. In addition, he told Brantford Police Officer Staff Sgt. Cheney Venn that he was not suicidal in any way. Alafe and Venn arrived at the Police station at 6:50pm, at which time Alafe disclosed the above information before being placed in a cell. There, he began to have one of the worst nights of his life. Alafe described his whole night, stating that they treated him “worse than an animal…[he was] stripped of everything… [he] just didn’t want to live anymore… [he] thought he was going to be in that situation forever.” Philip’s night in the station was broken down into events: 11:21 p.m. Alafe spends 15 minutes asking for medication and throws wet toilet paper Venn threatens a “very frigging cold night” if Alafe continues to throw toilet paper 11:48 p.m. Alafe continue to throw toilet paper Venn takes his blanket and mattress away and provides Alafe with one pill 1:10 a.m. Philip ties his jumpsuit to the cell bars Venn threatens to take it if it is not taken down 2:50 a.m. Over this time, Alafe asks for his blanket back and ties his t-shirt to the bars, which Venn takes 3:01 a.m. Philip tries to get a piece of paper with his jumpsuit Jumpsuit is taken by Venn 3:03 a.m. From this point on, Alafe now spends his time in the cell naked, until 7:30 a.m. At 6 a.m. he tries to tie his socks into a noose, which an officer takes from him 7:30 a.m. Other officers return Alafe’s jumpsuit, mattress, and blanket After having gone through this night in the Brantford Police station and bringing this matter to court, Alafe said that without the video footage no one would have believed him when describing the events that took place. The footage displayed the “cruel and unusual treatment” that Alafe suffered, which the Ontario Court Justice Ken Lenz had also determined. Lenz found his rights under section 7 and section 12 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms have been violated. Sec. 7: Life, liberty and security of a person Everyone has the right to life, liberty and the security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. Sec. 12: Treatment or punishment Everyone has the right to not be subjected to any cruel and unusual treatment or punishment. When this ruling was issued in April, Ken Lenz condemned Venn’s behaviour describing the treatment as “egregious” and “clearly degrading to human dignity”. Not only did Judge Lenz identify that Venn had violated police policies relating to treatment of people in custody with mental health concerns, he defended Alafe by acknowledging that there was “nothing the defendant could do to stop his mistreatment even when he did behave as requested for extensive periods of time.” This is not the first case in which Venn has mistreated people in custody with mental health concerns. Venn defended his actions, testifying in court that his actions were common practice in similar situations. Lenz challenged Venn’s testimony and reviewed the Brantford Police policy, which states: A blanket should not be provided only if there is a history of suicidal tendencies, destructive behaviour, or the officer in charge deems it harmful to the prisoner, any person, or the facility. The policy does not mention the actions of removing mattresses, but does state that clothing may only be removed if the prisoner is suicidal. During his testimony, Venn said he was not concerned he would self-harm until he witnessed the sock incident. Lenz continued to take Alafe’s side, saying that Venn was “bullying someone in his control because he could” and that it “looks more like punishment than an attempt to elicit good behaviour.” Parallel with Alafe’s belief, Lenz even addressed the video exhibits, Lenz said, “without the cell videos, he would’ve simply believed the officer’s testimony.” This particular case is causing Lenz to have a change of heart with regards to our police force. He went on to say that the is beginning to share the perception that Alafe has, that the police can’t be fully trusted. As a result, the judge stayed the charges against Alafe. Venn is still on the force, he remains on regular duties. In addition to this ruling, Brantford police chief Greg Nelson will be investigating into potential professional misconduct. The policy and training practices in relation to prisoner care and handling will also be addressed and reviewed by the Brantford Police Service, and their findings will be presented to the Police Services Board. At Devry Smith Frank LLP we have experienced lawyers in all areas of law. If you are looking for a lawyer or have general questions, please feel free to contact one of our lawyers today, or call us directly at 416-449-1400. “This article is intended to inform and entertain. Its content does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon by readers as such. If you require legal assistance, please see a lawyer. Each case is unique and a lawyer with good training and sound judgment can provide you with advice tailored to your specific situation and needs.” By Fauzan SiddiquiBlog, Criminal Law, Human Rights LawAugust 3, 2017June 22, 2020
Toronto Man Sentenced to Life in Prison, Eligible for Parole after 25 Years By: Nicolas Di Nardo, Junior Marketing & Administrator A man that was on the verge of marriage, Brett Ryan, 36, pleaded guilty last week to killing his mother, and two of his brothers in August 2016. However, Brett’s motivation for the events that occurred in August 2016 stem from his troubled past. In 2009, Ryan pleaded guilty to eight bank robberies, sentenced to five years. Due to pretrial custody he only ended up serving three years and nine months. Fast forward to June 2016. Ryan got a job at an IT company, but before he could even step foot in the office, he was fired after the employer discovered he had a criminal record. Days before the murders took place, Ryan admitted to his mother that he was unemployed, and has been lying to his fiancée. He was telling her that he was working from home. Susan, Brett’s mother had told her son to tell his fiancée the truth, and that she would support him financially for a period of time, says the statement of facts. Brett than became concerned that if he were to admit he was unemployed to his fiancée, that she would break off the relationship. In the statement of facts, he then admitted to a plan to kill his mother out of fear that she would expose him and that the wedding would then be called off. Ryan’s plan involved: Placing a crossbow in the garage of their family home Setting up his devices (laptop, iPad, iPhone) to be activated and create an internet footprint to serve as an alibi On the 25th day of August 2016, Ryan arrived to confront his mother around 1 p.m. The statement of facts reads that Ryan only intended to confront her about her threats of exposing him, and that he was going to convince her to continue to support him financially until the wedding and until he found a job. The argument unfortunately took a turn, and Ryan’s mother called her son Christopher, 42, to come help her. During the argument, Brett retrieved the crossbow and bolts from the garage. He then stabbed his mother with a bolt, and strangled her. Once Christopher arrived, he shot him with a bolt, and hid their bodies in the garage. As he was walking out, his other brother, Alexander, 29, arrived. They fought and Alexander was then stabbed. By this time, Brett’s plan had escalated and he was left with three of his family members’ bodies. Leigh, his older brother was in the house, and came downstairs to see what was going on. Leigh walked outside to see Ryan standing over Alexander’s body and ran into the house. He was then assaulted by Brett while attempting to call police. Leigh managed to escape to a neighbour’s house and called 911. Ryan was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and attempted murder. Last week in court, Brett Ryan pleaded guilty to the following: First-degree murder in the death of Christopher Ryan Two counts of second-degree murder of Susan Ryan and Alexander Ryan Attempted murder of his older brother Leigh He was sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder, life in prison in the second-degree murders, and a 10-year sentence for the attempted murder of his brother. He is not eligible for parole for 25 years, and the sentences will run concurrently. If you require representation for criminal disputes, please contact Devry Smith Frank LLP’s criminal lawyers. For all other legal services and inquiries, please visit our website or call us directly at 416-449-1400. “This article is intended to inform and entertain. Its content does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon by readers as such. If you require legal assistance, please see a lawyer. Each case is unique and a lawyer with good training and sound judgment can provide you with advice tailored to your specific situation and needs.” By Fauzan SiddiquiBlog, Criminal LawAugust 1, 2017June 22, 2020
Man pleads Guilty to Disruption on Air Canada Flight By: Nicolas Di Nardo A drywaller from Amhurstview, Ontario is potentially facing up to two decades behind bars. Brandon Courneyea, the defendant, admitted to interfering with a flight attendant last month. His actions opened him up to a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 USD fine. Before Courneyea boarded the Air Canada flight, he took an undisclosed amount of cocaine according to court documents. What occurred on the flight as a result, include: Yelling at people for looking at him Threw paper at a passenger Moved erratically through the aircraft without shoes on Grabbed a hot coffee pot and swung it at passengers and crew Tried to open the aircraft cabin door Once again, grabbed a coffee pot before being subdued According to the plea agreement, when he went for the aircraft door he told people around him that “it would only take one guy to take the plane down and that he wanted to take everyone with him.” Once he was able to be subdued, he was bound to his seat with zip ties. The flight was diverted to Orlando, where he was arrested. He spent a number of days in a hospital before making his first court appearance. A Florida judge agreed to release Courneyea on $125,000 bail and allow him to return to Canada in the weeks prior to his guilty plea. Courneyea is a father of five, two of which have special needs, and at the moment his wife is caring for them on her own. His sentencing is set for September 11, 2017. At Devry Smith Frank LLP we have experienced lawyers in all areas of law. If you are looking for a lawyer or have general questions, please feel free to contact one of our lawyers today, or call us directly at 416-449-1400. “This article is intended to inform and entertain. Its content does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon by readers as such. If you require legal assistance, please see a lawyer. Each case is unique and a lawyer with good training and sound judgment can provide you with advice tailored to your specific situation and needs.” By Fauzan SiddiquiBlog, Criminal LawJuly 27, 2017June 22, 2020
Teen Charged After Colliding with Police Car By: Nicolas Di Nardo Tuesday night, a teen was charged after colliding with a police cruiser. The car the teenager was driving was allegedly stolen. Peel Region Police were responding to a call around 6 p.m. about an incident near Camilla Road Senior Public School. A group of teenagers in a black SUV had approached someone and it their bicycle with a bat. When police arrived on scene, Peel Const. Harinder Sohi says one person decided to try and flee in the SUV, hitting a police cruiser. The driver tried to flee again, but crashed. The rest of the teens decided to try and flee on foot, but police were able to arrest two people. The teen driving the vehicle has been charged with: Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle Possession of property obtained by crime Possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose The other was arrested, but was released without charges. No police officers or other individuals were injured during the incident. If you require representation for criminal disputes, please contact Devry Smith Frank LLP’s criminal lawyers. For all other legal services and inquiries, please visit our website or call us directly at 416-449-1400. “This article is intended to inform and entertain. Its content does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon by readers as such. If you require legal assistance, please see a lawyer. Each case is unique and a lawyer with good training and sound judgment can provide you with advice tailored to your specific situation and needs.” By Fauzan SiddiquiBlog, Criminal LawJuly 27, 2017June 22, 2020