Sault Ste. Marie Police Service announced the seizure of more than $300,000 in drugs and half a dozen firearms as the result of a joint forces operation in partnership with Ontario Provincial Police.
A total of 225 charges were laid in Project Kentucky, a five-month investigative effort made possible through funding from Ontario and the Ministry of the Solicitor General that resulted in an estimated $317,451 in illicit substances being seized by police, including:
- Approximately 2,721.94 grams of suspected cocaine
- Approximately 258.95 grams of suspected fentanyl
- Approximately 64.15 grams of suspected methamphetamine
- Approximately 49 pills of suspected oxycodone
Six firearms, two replica firearms and a pair of brass knuckles were also seized in the operation, along with $16,415 in Canadian currency.
Police say a total of 10 search warrants were executed locally during Project Kentucky.
“It’s a substantial amount of drug and firearm seizures for us in a very short period of time, which speaks to the efforts of the officers that were actually out there on the street doing the work,” Sault Ste. Marie Police Service Interim Chief Brent Duguay told reporters following a media availability held Wednesday.
Andy Bradford, acting detective superintendent with the OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau, said the OPP is committed to working with partner agencies in order to conduct “proactive intelligence-led multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking investigations.”
“The seizures are significant, the charges before the courts are significant, and I think that's a reflection of the positive impact we've had to the community in this investigation,” Bradford said.
While police at Wednesday’s media availability confirmed the drug trafficking is related to organized crime, they declined to elaborate.
“I can't get into the details of their affiliations,” said Sault Ste. Marie Police Service Insp. William Freeman.
“But what I will say is that they were organized — involved in criminal networks.”
In all, 20 individuals were arrested and charged in relation to Project Kentucky:
34-year-old Muhamad Alhasi is charged with:
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Cocaine)
42-year-old Loren Beaird is charged with:
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Crack Cocaine) x2
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Fentanyl) x2
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Methamphetamine)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Fentanyl)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance (Cocaine)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Under $5,000 x5
- Possession of Prohibited Device x2
35-year-old Samuel Bisaillon is charged with:
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Fentanyl) x2
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Under $5,000 x2
The following charges were previously published in a media release on Feb. 13, 2025:
- Careless Storage of Firearm, Weapon, Prohibited Device, or Ammunition x7
- Failure to Attend Court
- Failure to Comply with Probation Order
- Failure to Comply with Release Order – Other Than to Attend Court x11
- Knowledge of Unauthorized Possession of Firearm x3
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Cocaine)
- Possession of Firearm or Ammunition Contrary to Prohibition Order x9
- Possession of Prohibited Device or Ammunition x2
- Possession of Loaded Prohibited or Restricted Firearm x2
- Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose x4
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Under $5,000
- Unauthorized Possession of Firearm x3
42-year-old Harry Challenger is charged with:
- Breach of Firearms Regulation – Store Firearm or Restricted Weapon
- Dangerous Operation
- Knowledge of Unauthorized Possession of Firearm
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Under $5,000 x7
- Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose
- Possession Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Cocaine)
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Cocaine) x6
- Unauthorized Possession of Firearm
44-year-old Andrew Chikoski is charged with:
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Cocaine)
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Fentanyl) x3
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Under $5,000 x3
56-year-old Line Duguay is charged with:
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Cocaine) x2
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Methamphetamine)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance of Purpose of Trafficking (Cocaine)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Under $5,000 x3
46-year-old Jason Fabbro is charged with:
- Failure to Comply with Release Order – Other Than to Attend Court
23-year-old Justin Findlay is charged with:
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Cocaine) x4
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Under $5,000 x4
31-year-old Nicholas Hnakuik is charged with:
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Cocaine) x2
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Under $5,000 x2
39-year-old Bobbi-Jo Jordan is charged with:
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Fentanyl) x2
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Crack Cocaine)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Under $5,000 x2
54-year-old Robyn Kennedy is charged with:
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Crack Cocaine) x2
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Under $5,000 x2
36-year-old Jessy Lavigne is charged with:
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Cocaine) x3
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Cocaine)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Fentanyl)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance (Methamphetamine)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Under $5,000 x5
- Failure to Comply with Release Order – Other Than to Attend Court x6
21-year-old Gavin Leveille is charged with:
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Crack Cocaine)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Under $5,000
44-year-old Monica Mantovan of Garden River First Nation is charged with (previously published in an OPP media release on March 14, 2025):
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Cocaine)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Methamphetamine)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Fentanyl)
46-year-old Berni Nadon is charged with:
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Crack Cocaine) x5
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Cocaine)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Fentanyl)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Oxycodone)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Under $5,000 x6
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Over $5,000
- Failure to Comply with Release Order – Other Than to Attend Court x4
- Failure to Comply with Probation Order x8
The following charges were previously published in a media release on Jan. 24, 2025:
- Possession of Scheduled I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Cocaine)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance (Methamphetamine)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Under $5,000
29-year-old Sierra-Lynn Nadon is charged with:
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Cocaine) x2
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Under $5,000 x2
- The following charges were previously published in a media release on March 14, 2025:
- Breach of Firearms Regulation – Store Firearm or Restricted Weapon x2
- Careless Storage of Ammunition x2
- Knowledge of Unauthorized Possession of Firearm x2
- Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose x2
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Cocaine)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Fentanyl)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance (Hydromorphone)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance (Methamphetamine)
- Unauthorized Possession of Firearm x2
27-year-old Jacques Roy is charged with (previously published in a media release on March 14, 2025):
- Breach of Firearms Regulation – Storage Firearm or Restricted Weapon x2
- Careless Storage of Firearm, Weapon, Prohibited Device, or Ammunition x2
- Knowledge of Unauthorized Possession of Firearm x2
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Cocaine)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Fentanyl)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance (Hydromorphone)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance (Methamphetamine)
- Possession of Firearm or Ammunition Contrary to Prohibition Order x16
- Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose x2
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000
- Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm x2
31-year-old Nelson Solomon of Garden River First Nation is charged with (previously published in an OPP media release on March 14, 2025):
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Cocaine)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Methamphetamine)
- Possession of Schedule I Substance for Purpose of Trafficking (Fentanyl)
- Failure to Comply with Release Order – Other Than to Attend Court
47-year-old Vicky Springbett is charged with (previously published in a media release on January 24, 2025):
- Possession of Schedule I Substance (Methamphetamine)
48-year-old Michael Theriault is charged with:
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Crack Cocaine) x2
- Traffick in Schedule I Substance (Fentanyl) x2
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Under $5,000 x2
Two individuals — 31-year-old Danielle Whitzell and 28-year-old Joey Lavigne — were also arrested on unrelated warrants.
The city's interim police chief says Sault Ste. Marie Police Service and OPP will "bring best evidence forward" as charges laid in Project Kentucky make their way through the courts.
“I think we had a very good plan coming into this operation and executed very well, and I think we have very experienced and talented officers," Duguay said. "So, as far as court goes, we will certainly be prepared for the court process."
None of the accusations have been tested in court and all of the accused are considered innocent unless proven guilty.