THUNDER BAY - Police are describing an investigation involving a jail guard recently charged with breach of trust and drug trafficking offences as ‘very concerning’.
Thunder Bay police announced the arrest of a 38-year-old Thunder Bay district jail male employee amid an ongoing investigation involving a criminal breach of trust, according to a police news release.
The accused male was arrested on Wednesday morning, June 24, and is currently in police custody awaiting to appear before a justice of the peace. He is also facing drug trafficking offences including possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, possession of MDMA for the purpose of trafficking, trafficking in tobacco, and possession of cannabis for the purpose of selling.
“The investigation is still in its very early stages and the name cannot be released as the information is not presently before the courts,” Det.-Insp. John Fennell said Wednesday. “We can in fact say that it had something to do with the institution."
The man was arrested outside the jail on Wednesday.
Fennell also explained how breach of trust charges are not common.
“They are very concerning and they are high level in the sense that you are in a trusted position,” he said. “There is an extra weight on you to ensure what you are doing is essentially lawful and in particular in the law enforcement family I would suggest it's even magnified more.”
He will appear in court Thursday to have the charges sworn in by a justice of the peace.
See the full police release below:
NEWS RELEASE
THUNDER BAY POLICE SERVICE
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Police have arrested a Thunder Bay District Jail employee amid an ongoing investigation involving criminal Breach of Trust.
Members of the Thunder Bay Police Service’s Intelligence Unit arrested the 38-year-old accused male in the morning hours of Wednesday, June 24.
Further investigation led to the following charges:
• Possession of Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking
• Possession of MDMA (Ecstasy) for the Purpose of Trafficking
• Trafficking in Tobacco
• Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Selling
• Breach of Trust
He is expected to appear in court on Thursday, June 25. The identity of the accused is being withheld until the charges are sworn before the courts.
The investigation is ongoing. No other details are available at this time.
