THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay Police have announced that new charges have been filed stemming from Project Dolphin. Thirty-nine year old John Harry Tsekouras was originally charged in the operation in April 2012. Thunder Bay Police have laid the new charges on Wednesday. Charges of Conspiracy to Kidnap and Murder have been laid by Police.
Tsekouras now faces new charges stemming from Project Dolphin. Tsekouras had been originally charged in April 2012 for his alleged role in a major drug trafficking network.
Project Dolphin was an extensive undercover investigation undertaken in 2010 by the Thunder Bay Police Service in conjunction with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Toronto Police Service and the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service.
Project Dolphin investigated a hierarchical and well organized criminal enterprise which involved the trafficking of drugs including Cocaine, Marijuana and Oxycodone. It is alleged that this organization had supply and distribution contacts with other criminal enterprises including the Hells Angels and other organized crime groups in western Canada and Montreal.
Project Dolphin Update:
Evidence came forward during this investigation indicating that a plot existed to kidnap and murder a male outside of Canada between 2009 and 2010. The intended kidnapping and murder did not occur. It is alleged that John Tsekouras was behind this plot which is alleged to have been connected to drug trafficking.
John Harry Tsekouras- 39 year old Thunder Bay resident
Has been charged with:
· Participant – Criminal Organization contrary to Section 467.11 C.C.
· Conspiracy to Traffic Marijuana Contrary to Section 465(1)(c) C.C.
– 4 Counts
· Conspiracy to Traffic Cannabis Resin Contrary to Section 465(1)(c)
· Conspiracy to Commit Murder Section 465(1)(c)
· Conspiracy to Kidnap Section 465(1)(c)
Other individuals who were involved and charged in the original Project Dolphin investigation have been arrested and charged with the following:
Rory Jacob Pelletier – Forty-two year old Thunder Bay resident
Has been charged with:
· Participant – Criminal Organization contrary to Section 467.11 C.C.
· Trafficking of Marijuana for the benefit of a Criminal Organization contrary to Section 467.12 C.C.
· Conspiracy to Traffic Marijuana Contrary to Section 465(1)(c) C.C.
– 2 Counts
· Trafficking of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana)
Keith John Ritchie – thirty year old Thunder Bay resident
Has been charged with:
· Breach of Recognizance
Travis Garth Gordon – Twenty-nine year old Thunder Bay resident
Has been charged with:
· Breach of Recognizance
· Breach of Probation
All of the accused have been held in custody. John Tsekouras’s next court date is June 17, 2013. Rory Pelletier’s next court date is June 14, 2013. Keith Richies’s next court date is June 20, 2013. Travis Gordon has a court date of June 17, 2013.
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