Photo credit: Alex Drouin – Monvicto.com
Quebec’s Attorney General wants to seize a home in Warwick said it was paid for with the illegal activities of a long-convicted man.
The preliminary application for civil confiscation filed at the Victoriaville Courthouse on May 2 reads that the residence on Rue Richardson in Warwick was purchased by Jonathan Crête’s mother but she never lived there.
“This one has always been inhabited by Crête [qui] maintains it and makes payments (taxes and mortgage),” the court document said.
“Crête often engages in illegal activities that are likely to give him an economic advantage. Consequently, the property is presumed to be the product of illegal activities,” we continue in the introductory motion.
Cocaine and Viagra
From May 25 to October 18, 2022, the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) conducted surveillance on Crête.
“During these surveillances, the police observed 19 exchanges during very brief meetings that resembled drug transactions between Crête and other individuals.”
In addition, from February 2013 to May 2020, the SQ received information about said illegal activities 11 times from people who wished to remain anonymous.
During this time, Crête made appointments with customers in Warwick “near the Yum Yum factory”, […] in the Camital car park on rue des Buttes, […] in the parking lot of the Caisse populaire [et] in the Victoriaville BMR”.
“A source told SQ that Crête was selling cocaine in Warwick’s bars,” it said.
He filled his cocaine into plastic containers with Tylenol and talked on his cell phone using “pizza” orders as a code for drug transactions.
On October 26, 2022, SQ searched his building and vehicle.
Among other things, they seized “129.79 grams of cocaine”. […] thereof 157 ready-to-sell bags, […] 888 cigarettes and 169 Viagra tablets”.
Lawyers also stole $79,300.
Crête has prior convictions for drug possession, assault, mischief, theft, and disrupted driving.
confiscations
For these reasons, the Attorney General of Quebec wants to apply the Law on Seizure, Administration and Allocation of Proceeds and Instruments from Illegal Activities in this case.
At the time of writing these lines, the date of the trial has not yet been set.
The parties must complete the steps outlined in the case protocol and submit the case for trial and decision no later than January 4, 2024.