A York Regional Police officer has been sentenced to jail after he was convicted on eight corruption-related charges.
In a press release issued Thursday, the force said 47-year-old Const. Richard Senior has been sentenced to 7.5 years in jail after his conviction in November of 2021.
According to the release, in addition to the jail time, Senior is also subject to a 10-year weapons prohibition, a lifetime ban on restricted or prohibited weapons and must submit his DNA.
The force said Senior has initiated an appeal from conviction and is expected to be released on bail until that process is complete.
The force said a 10-month long investigation began in 2018 after police received allegations that an officer was involved in “a number of criminal enterprises.”
The release said this included the attempted armed robbery of a quantity of cocaine, the theft and illegal possession of a York Regional Police shotgun, the trafficking of steroids to another officer, trafficking cocaine, and the disclosing of confidential police information.
Police say Senior was arrested on Oct. 9, 2018 and charged with “numerous criminal offences.”
He was prosecuted on 14 charges in the Superior Court of Justice, the release said.
In November, Senior was convicted of the following:
- Trafficking a controlled substance — cocaine
- Trafficking of a controlled substance — testosterone
- Possession of a weapon obtained by crime
- Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
- Two counts of unauthorized use of a computer
- Two counts of breach of trust
According to the release, Senior, was a member of the YRP for 16 years, and worked in Markham.
He has now been suspended without pay.
York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween released a statement Thursday, saying Senior’s “unacceptable criminal behaviour is not tolerated by our organization,” adding that it is “not a reflection of our hard-working, dedicated and professional members working each day to keep our community safe.”
“We remain committed to being transparent and accountable to our community,” the statement reads.