OPP officer charged with theft and fraud

These are violations by the Ontario Provincial Police officers dealing with the Criminal Code of Canada, Controlled Substance and Abuse Act, Customs and Excise Act, etc.

OPP officer charged with theft and fraud

Postby Thomas » Fri Sep 18, 2015 3:21 pm

A South Porcupine OPP officer was arrested Sept. 17 after an investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) into misappropriation of funds.

Sylvie Demers, a 43-year-old sergeant and a 21-year member of the OPP, has been charged with theft over $5,000, fraud over $5,000 and breach of trust.

She's scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Timmins Oct. 13.

The officer has been suspended from duty with pay in accordance with the Police Services Act.

http://www.northernlife.ca/news/policea ... dbury.aspx

http://www.timminstoday.com/local-news/ ... rges-17086
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Provincial police officer charged in Ontario fraud case

Postby Thomas » Fri Sep 18, 2015 3:22 pm

SOUTH PORCUPINE, Ont. - An Ontario Provincial Police officer has been arrested and charged after an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds.

The OPP says after an investigation by its professional standards bureau, Sylvie Demers of its South Porcupine unit has been charged with theft over $5,000, fraud over $5,000 and breach of trust.

The force says Demers is a 21-year member with the OPP.

She has been suspended from duty with pay.

Demers is to appear in court in Timmins in October.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/provincial ... -1.2569640

http://www.cp24.com/news/opp-officer-fa ... -1.2570305
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OPP officer faces charges after investigation

Postby Thomas » Fri Sep 18, 2015 4:08 pm

SOUTH PORCUPINE, Ont. - An Ontario Provincial Police officer has been arrested and charged after an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds.

The OPP says after an investigation by its professional standards bureau, Sylvie Demers of its South Porcupine unit has been charged with theft over $5,000, fraud over $5,000 and breach of trust.

The force says Demers is a 21-year member with the OPP.

She has been suspended from duty with pay.

Demers is to appear in court in Timmins in October.

By The Canadian Press

http://www.insidehalton.com/news-story/ ... stigation/
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OPP officer charged

Postby Thomas » Fri Sep 18, 2015 4:31 pm

An OPP sergeant faces a number of charges today relating to fraud.

Acting on a complaint and following an investigation by the OPP Professional Standards Bureau into misappropriation of funds, a South Porcupine OPP officer was arrested and charged yesterday.

Sylvie Demers, a 43-year-old Sergeant, has been charged with:

    Theft over $5,000
    Fraud over $5,000
    Breach of Trust
Demers is a 21-year member with the OPP and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Timmins on October 13.

She has been suspended from duty with pay in accordance with the Police Services Act.

http://www.baytoday.ca/content/news/details.asp?c=83891

Police declined to reveal further details.
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Senior OPP officer facing fraud charges

Postby Thomas » Fri Sep 18, 2015 4:44 pm

SOUTH PORCUPINE – The Ontario Provincial Police is remaining mum about details in the arrest of a fellow officer.

The charges resulted from an investigation by the OPP Professional Standards Bureau into misappropriation of fund, but OPP are not saying who made the complaint, whether the charges are related to the officer’s job or off-duty life, where the funds were taken from or how much money is involved. They have however, indicated that there is ‘a victim’ involved.

Sylvie Demers, a 43-year-old OPP sergeant with 21 years seniority, is charged with theft over $5,000, fraud over $5,000 and breach of trust. She will appear in court in Timmins on Oct. 13.

Demers has been suspended from duty with pay in accordance with the Police Services Act.

http://www.northbaynipissing.com/news-s ... d-charges/

http://www.kisstimmins.com/2015/09/18/s ... g-charges/
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Charged cop makes 1st court appearance

Postby Thomas » Thu Oct 15, 2015 2:07 am

TIMMINS - A local police officer accused of misappropriation of funds made her first appearance in Timmins provincial court Tuesday since charges were laid against her three weeks ago.

Sylvie Demers, a 43-year-old sergeant with the South Porcupine detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police, addressed the court and advised that she has made an “application for disclosure” — essentially requesting to see the Crown’s evidence against her.

Judge Michelle Rocheleau asked Demers if she has hired a lawyer yet.

Demers replied no.

Demers is charged with theft over $5,000, fraud over $5,000 and breach of trust.

The officer has been suspended from duty with pay in accordance with the Police Services Act.

Assistant Crown Attorney Dale Cox told the court that “for a variety of reasons,” the Timmins Crown office will not be handling the prosecution in this case.

The key reason is that the matter involves a local police officer — a circumstance which, in order to avoid any perceived conflict, is typically handed to an out-of-town prosecutor.
The matter was adjourned to Nov. 17.

http://www.timminspress.com/2015/10/13/ ... appearance
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Cop admits to defrauding local police association

Postby Thomas » Thu Jul 28, 2016 1:17 pm

TIMMINS - A South Porcupine cop entrusted to oversee the finances of her local police association, abused the position by treating the organization’s deposited funds as her own personal bank account.

Over the course of three years, Sylvie Demers, 44, a detective sergeant with the Ontario Provincial Police, made 65 questionable transactions from that account, withdrawing close to $7,000 for personal items and services, a Timmins court heard Wednesday.

Those expenses included purchases of liquor, household groceries, electronics, and cosmetic creams and perfumes. There were also restaurant tabs paid for that were not authorized or connected in any way with the local chapter of the Ontario Provincial Police Association.

Demers had access to the OPPA account as the local association’s appointed treasurer.

On Wednesday, Demers, pleaded guilty in Timmins provincial court to fraud over $5,000.

Demers, a decorated veteran officer who was presented with a Regional Commander’s Letter of Commendation in 2012, is currently under suspension with pay, in accordance with the Police Services Act.

Since Demers is a member of the local constabulary, an out-of-town judge along with a visiting prosecutor were brought in to handle this case to avoid any perceived conflict in the judicial process.

Judge Randall Lalande, who presided over the matter on Wednesday, is from Sudbury as is Assistant Crown Attorney Julie Lefebvre.

Lefebvre outlined in detail to the court the list of questionable purchases Demers made from the OPPA account during a period that extended from January 2012 to the early part of 2015.

As treasurer, Demers was required to keep a record and make a notation of all expenses from the association’s account.

Lefebvre said Demers repeatedly fabricated information in the account ledger, suggesting many of these withdrawals were authorized by the association president, or connected to out-of-town meetings, or used to purchase gifts for police funerals or officers who were off sick.

Lefebvre said the OPPA became suspicious about some of the claimed expenses, such as the purchase of large quantities of booze for sick officers — which would have been out of the norm.

There were also restaurant bills attributed to out-of-town meetings on dates when the OPPA did not have meetings or conferences scheduled.

Once suspicions were raised, a detailed audit of the accounts was conducted in which investigators retrieved the receipts from businesses and restaurants where Demers had claimed expenses.

Lefebvre noted there were numerous inconsistencies with what Demers had recorded in the account ledger when contrasted with what was actually purchased.

In September 2015, Demers was arrested.

On Wednesday, following Demers’ plea of guilt, her lawyer, Michael Venturi, requested that a pre-sentence report be prepared for the sentencing hearing. That report will take several months to complete.

At this point, it does not appear the prosecution and defence will be making a joint submission.

In fact, Venturi said the two sides are “far off” in their views of what the appropriate sentence should be.

Sentencing was adjourned to Nov. 9.

http://www.timminspress.com/2016/07/27/ ... ssociation
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Cop gets 18 months probation for $7,000 fraud

Postby Thomas » Fri Nov 11, 2016 7:56 am

TIMMINS - A South Porcupine police sergeant has been sentenced to 18 months probation for defrauding the local chapter of the Ontario Provincial Police Association of about $7,000.

The prosecution was recommending one year of house arrest but the a Timmins provincial court judge opted on Wednesday for a lengthier period of probation instead.

Sylvie Demers, 45, had been entrusted since 1999 to oversee the finances of the local OPPA chapter as treasurer of the association. However, from January 2012 to the early months of 2015, court heard, Demers abused the position by treating the organization’s deposited funds as her own personal bank account.

During that period, she made 65 questionable transactions from that OPPA account, withdrawing a total of close to $7,000 for personal items and services.

Those expenses included purchases of liquor, household groceries, electronics, and cosmetic creams and perfumes. There were also restaurant tabs paid for that were not authorized or connected in any way with the local chapter of the OPPA.

She pleaded guilty in July to fraud over $5,000.

During the sentencing held Wednesday, defence lawyer Michael Venturi told the court Demers’ behaviour in regards to these charges was an “aberration” considering she was a 20-year veteran, highly regarded by her peers and had enjoyed a distinguished career with honours.

“She made a bad decision,” he said, adding, “This is the one facet of her life that did somewhat spiral out of control.”

Venturi asked the court to consider the fact, “The amount of transactions (65) is high; the economic value ($6,994) is not ... This is not a six-digit fraud as we have seen in other cases.”

Judge Randall Lalande, who presided over the matter on Wednesday, admitted being perplexed by Demers’ motivation to abuse her position as OPPA treasurer since she and her family were not in financial difficulties.

Assistant Crown Attorney Julie Lefebvre offered her own theory, and suggested the “breach of trust” committed by Demers warranted a stronger penalty than a period of probation.

“The only reason why (Demers began using OPPA account for her own personal use), the only answer the Crown can provide, Your Honour, is that it’s greed,” said Lefebvre. “It’s similar to a person who shoplifts and they have money in their pocket. Why do they do that? Because they have a sense of entitlement, in my respectful submission. It’s simple greed, it was convenient.”

Demers, given the opportunity to address the court, apologized to her family, friends and colleagues. She said there is not a day that goes by that she does not regret the decisions she made that led to charges being laid and her being brought before the court.

“I do not want this case to define the person I truly am. I am a hard working police officer, mother, wife and friend,” said Demers.

“I know I have disappointed a lot of people and I will work to make amends.”

During the first six months of Demers’ 18-month probation she will be subject to a curfew.

Court heard Demers has already re-paid a portion of the money she took from the OPPA account.

The judge ordered that she repay the outstanding amount — $3,687 — within the next 90 days.

Demers remains suspended with pay.

Her lawyer pointed out to the court that the matter involving this case does not end here.

Demers has Police Service Act charges outstanding that still has to be dealt with.

http://www.timminspress.com/2016/11/09/ ... 7000-fraud
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