BRAMPTON, Ont. – Four Peel Regional Police officers are facing charges following an investigation that began after charges were stayed against an accused drug dealer, who alleged police stole items during a search of his storage locker.
Lowell Somerville said police stole items, including a statue of fictional character Tony Montana from the movie Scarface, cash and various items of jewelry.
According to court documents, Somerville described the statue as about 3.5 feet tall and “one of a kind.”
“The statue is modelled on Montana’s character, at the end of the movie Scarface, at the point at which he utters the phrase, ‘Say hello to my little friend,’ in reference to the gun he is carrying,” Justice Jennifer Woollcombe wrote in her decision.
She stayed charges of heroin trafficking, and possession of heroin, MDMA and cocaine in May 2017 after concluding the officers knew one of them had taken the statue and “chose not to tell the truth.”
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On Thursday, Peel police said Sgt. Manuel Pinheiro and Consts. Richard Rerrie, Damian Savino and Mihai Muresan were each charged with a count of theft under $5,000, a count of obstructing police and two counts of perjury.
All of the officers are suspended and are to appear in Brampton, Ont., court on June 4.
Chief Jennifer Evans says she immediately ordered an investigation into the conduct of the officers following the court ruling.
With files from Kerri Breen, 640 Toronto
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