Month: November 2014

Police departments in the Greater Toronto Area sometimes combine their significant resources to conduct sweeping investigations into the trafficking of illegal substances. While such investigations may result in the seizure of large amounts of drugs, innocent people can easily become caught up in the mix by simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Fifteen people were recently arrested after officers from numerous departments searched 15 locations in Toronto, Halton and Hamilton. According to Halton Regional Police, the investigation lasted for eight months, and 140 officers were employed in the arrest of the 15 accused individuals. The charges…

We've discussed on numerous occasions the fact that professionals accused of crimes can also face career-ending consequences outside the criminal justice system. Medical professionals and financial professionals may be particularly vulnerable to disciplinary action in their chosen fields. When an individual faces criminal charges in addition to allegations of professional misconduct, a comprehensive legal strategy is needed to protect the defendant's rights during criminal court proceedings and administrative hearings. At Neuberger & Partners LLP, we understand the concerns of professionals facing criminal charges, and we fight on behalf of clients to protect their rights and freedom, as well as their…

A man is dealing with more than burn injuries after an explosion recently blew off the front door of his sixth-floor condo in Toronto's Liberty Village. The 36-year-old has been charged with drug possession for the purpose of trafficking. Specifically, police believe the defendant was operating a meth lab in the residence. The man was reportedly inside the condo when the blast occurred, and he was able to leave the home and transport himself to hospital to be treated for minor burns. After that, he was arrested. Initially, the explosion was thought to be due to natural gas, but police…

An Ontario man will have a new criminal trial now that the Ontario Court of Appeal has overturned his 2012 conviction. It was alleged that he sexually assaulted a teenage girl nine years ago, and after the initial trial, he was sentenced to three years in prison. However, the court of appeal found that the 14-year-old girl's mother tried to "trick" the man into confessing. The mother reportedly told the man that she "would understand" if the daughter was the one who initiated sexual contact. At trial, the mother testified that the defendant confessed to her and said that the…

In addition to jail time and monetary penalties, a criminal charge can lead to damage to a professional's reputation. However, a defence lawyer's early intervention in the legal process may effectively mitigate the negative repercussions of a criminal charge. An allegation does not automatically proceed to a conviction, and every professional accused of a crime has a right to mount a strong criminal defence. A Sudbury pharmacist is currently responding to six criminal allegations, including a drug trafficking charge. A woman who worked for the pharmacist was given a three-year jail sentence after pleading guilty to drug offences. In a statement…

Traces of GHB, a drug commonly associated with date rape, were detected in the system of a teenage girl who was found naked at a Halloween party in Quebec, and the incident has sparked concerns about the use of such drugs across Canada. Ketamine and rohypnol are two other drugs often linked to date rape. Veterinarians use ketamine as an anesthetic for animals, but rohypnol and GHB are classified as illegal substances under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. The human body processes these drugs quite quickly. GHB cannot be traced in the urine after a period of 12 hours, and…

A criminal charge that sometimes comes up in connection with domestic disputes is criminal harassment. In Ontario, a criminal harassment charge can be based on a number of types of repetitive, threatening conduct, including harassing emails, text messages or phone calls. Criminal harassment charges may also be based on allegations of stalking or uttering threats against a person or a person's family. Serious, long-term consequences can result from a criminal harassment conviction. Depending on the facts of the individual case, penalties could range from a protection order to a prison sentence of up to 10 years. However, not everyone accused…

We've discussed before the fact that a person doesn't have to commit an extremely violent act to be charged with sexual assault. Inappropriate or unwelcome sexual touching of any kind can lead to a sexual assault charge. A 35-year-old man in Sarnia was recently convicted of sexual assault after kissing his neighbour in 2011. The case went to trial in Superior Court, and the justice hearing the case said he believed that the unwanted contact between the man and his neighbour occurred in a sexual context, and that the man used force when he put his tongue in the woman's mouth. She…