New charges and arrest in regional crime spree

Additional charges have been laid and another arrest made in the series of crimes that took place across Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec over the past few months, while some of the suspects have made court appearances.

The joint investigation - involving the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), Mirabel police, and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) - provided an update this week on the initial charges laid on February 3. A total of 174 criminal charges have now been laid in relation to nine separate incidents.

Last Friday, February 19, the OPP and SQ conducted a further search warrant and made an additional arrest in relation to a home invasion in which shots were fired.

The crimes

The list of crimes has been updated from five to nine.

1. A break-in that occurred between November 26 and 27 at Stephanie's Restaurant, located on Highway 34 in Champlain Township in which an undisclosed amount of cash was stolen.

2. A home invasion that occurred on November 30 at a residence in Vankleek Hill in which the homeowner was assaulted by masked suspects. Jewellery and cash were stolen.

3. A home invasion in Mirabel on December 14, in which a female resident was bound and a safe, containing cash, was taken.

4. A robbery on December 16 where the victim was lured to a residence in Brownsburg-Chatham.  The victim was bound, driven from the scene and left abandoned in his vehicle, after the suspects stole an undisclosed amount of cash.

5. An armed robbery at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) in Hawkesbury that occurred on December 23. The armed suspects fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash.

6. A home invasion in Ste-Anne de Prescott on January 26 in which shots were fired. No one was injured.

7. A home invasion at a Hawkesbury residence on December 23 in which a man in his senior years was threatened.

8. On February 3, an adult male reported his credit cards stolen.

9. A break and enter that occurred at a residence in Lachute, Québec in which Sûreté du Québec (SQ) officers surprised the suspects, apprehending two of them.

Four additional suspects

The police forces have released the names of the 11 people accused, up from the original seven.

1. Martin Paquin-Larocque, 19, of Brownsburg-Chatham with 18 Criminal Code offences including break-and-enter, conspiracy, disguise with intent, robbery with violence, and robbery with firearm.

2. Pascal Normand, 32, of Lachute for robbery with 28 Criminal Code charges including break-and-enter, conspiracy, theft of credit card, theft over $5000, possession of weapon dangerous, point firearm, robbery with firearm, robbery with violence and robbery and wounding

3. Vincent Maurice, 18, of Brownsburg-Chatham with 19 Criminal Code charges including conspiracy, robbery with firearm, break-and-enter and theft of credit card.

4. Josée Maurice, 36, of Brownsburg-Chatham with 23 Criminal Code charges including conspiracy, theft of credit card, robbery with violence, break, enter and theft, and robbery with firearm.

5. France Maurice, 39, of Hawkesbury Township with 21 Criminal Code charges including criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, robbery with firearm, break-and-enter, robbery with violence and theft of credit card.

6. Marcel Larocque, 41, of Brownsburg-Chatham with 41 Criminal Code charges including theft of credit card, break-and-enter, robbery with violence, conspiracy, discharge firearm, robbery with firearm, disguise with intent, careless use of a firearm, possession of weapon obtained by crime and obstruct police.

7. Patrick Plouffe, 30, with 19 criminal code charges including break-and-enter, robbery with violence, point firearm, possession of weapon dangerous, conspiracy and robbery with firearm.

8. Mathieu Desabrais, 25, of Lachute with six Criminal Code charges including possession of break-in instruments, disguise with intent, conspiracy and break-and-enter.

9. Robert St-Jean, 35, of Brownsburg-Chatham was charged in relation to the break-and-enter in Lachute. He appeared in St-Jerome court in January and pled guilty to the charge.

10. Michel Lecuyer, 38, of Hawkesbury with three criminal code charges including conspiracy, break-and-enter and robbery with a firearm.

11. Bruno Dube, 19, of Brownsburg-Chatham with three Criminal Code charges including conspiracy, break-and-enter and robbery with a firearm.

Each accused has been remanded into custody or released on conditions.

The investigation will now be focusing on incidents in Quebec.