The Toronto Police Service (TPS) has laid more than 50 charges in an anti-corruption investigation led by the Professional Standards unit.
The charges were laid against 11 individuals including a Toronto Police Service officer and employees from multiple tow truck companies.
In August 2019, the Service initiated an investigation into the theft of encrypted police radios.
The Service alleges:
- several tow truck employees from different companies were in possession of stolen police radios
- they used the radio’s encrypted transmissions to learn about and arrive at traffic collisions before other tow truck drivers for financial gain
- the information transmissions were broadcasted by one driver to other tow truck drivers for a monthly fee
- at least one radio was stolen by a Toronto Police Service officer
Toronto Police obtained search warrants and arrests were made over the last two months with the assistance of York Regional Police and Ontario Provincial Police. It is further alleged:
- three stolen radios, since recovered, are believed to have been stolen between February 2018 and December 2019 from the Toronto Police Service
- the Service recovered radios and radio parts belonging to other unidentified organizations, as well as various radio parts used for cloning
- six tow trucks have been seized
- a loaded firearm was also recovered
As previously announced, on Monday, June 15, 2020, the Toronto Police Service arrested and charged a TPS officer as part of this investigation. He was immediately suspended from the Service.
See previous press
news release.
The officer, Constable Ronald Joseph, 47, of Toronto, was re-arrested on Thursday, June 18, 2020, and faces further charges of:
1) Three counts of Breach of Trust
2) Two counts of Secret Commissions
3) Counselling Offence that is not committed: Indictable offence (Breach of Trust)
4) Counselling Offence that is not committed: Indictable offence (Forgery)
5) Attempt- Fraud Over
6) Commission of Offence for Criminal Organization - Unauthorized Use of Computer
7) Participation in Activities of Criminal Organization - Unauthorized Use of Computer
8) Possession of Device to Intercept Private Communications
9) Trafficking in Property Obtained by Crime
Ten others, including seven tow truck drivers, were also charged. They include:
Kevin Lima, 27, of Barrie, who has been charged with:
1) Commission of Offence for Criminal Organization - Unauthorized Use of Computer
2) Participation in Activities of Criminal Organization - Unauthorized Use of Computer
3) Interception of Private Communications
4) Interception of Radio Based Communications
5) Possession of Device to Intercept Private Communications
6) Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over
7) Possession of Device to Intercept Private Communications
8) Trafficking in Property Obtained by Crime
9) Fail to Comply Undertaking
Francisco Mike Portela, 41, of Toronto, who has been charged with:
1) Participation in Activities of Criminal Organization - Unauthorized Use of Computer
2) Possession of Device to Intercept Private Communications
3) Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over
4) Trafficking in Property Obtained by Crime
Jacob Villeneuve Portela, 21, of Toronto, who has been charged with:
1) Participation in Activities of Criminal Organization - Unauthorized Use of Computer
2) Interception of Private Communications
3) Interception of Radio Based Communications
4) Possession of Device to Intercept Private Communications
5) Trafficking in Property Obtained by Crime
6) Fail to Comply Undertaking
Mark Wolfe, 50, of Toronto, who has been charged with:
1) Commission of Offence for Criminal Organization - Unauthorized Use of Computer
2) Participation in Activities of Criminal Organization - Unauthorized Use of Computer
3) Possession of Device to Intercept Private Communications
Leonardo Ciulla, 21, of Mississauga, who has been charged with:
1) Participation in Activities of Criminal Organization - Unauthorized Use of Computer
2) Interception of Private Communications
3) Interception of Radio Based Communications
4) Possession of Device to Intercept Private Communications
Hernani Capela, 32, of Vaughan, who has been charged with:
1) Participation in Activities of Criminal Organization - Unauthorized Use of Computer
2) Interception of Private Communications
3) Interception of Radio Based Communications
4) Possession of Device to Intercept Private Communications
Giuseppe Carfora, 27, of Guelph, who has been charged with:
1) Participation in Activities of Criminal Organization - Unauthorized Use of Computer
2) Trafficking in Property Obtained by Crime
3) Possession of Device to Intercept Private Communications
Michael Carreiro, 28, of Mississauga, who has been charged with:
1) Participation in Activities of Criminal Organization - Unauthorized Use of Computer Interception of Private Communications
2) Interception of Radio Based Communications
3) Possession of Device to Intercept Private Communications
Francesco Caruso, 49, of Toronto, who has been charged with:
1) Participation in Activities of Criminal Organization - Unauthorized Use of Computer Interception of Private Communications
2) Interception of Radio Based Communications
3) Possession of Device to Intercept Private Communications
Tyson Plourde, 39, of Brampton, who has been charged with:
1) Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over
2) Possession of Device to Intercept Private Communications
All are scheduled to appear in court at Old City Hall, on Friday, September 4, 2020, at 11 a.m.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-2800, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at
www.222tips.com, online on our
Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637). Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes or Google Play.
A news conference was held on Monday, June 22, 2020, and can be viewed on
YouTube.
For more news, visit
TPSnews.ca.