Thunder Bay police Chief J.P. Levesque goes on trial Monday - Action News
Home WebMail Friday, November 29, 2024, 09:10 PM | Calgary | -16.8°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
Thunder Bay

Thunder Bay police Chief J.P. Levesque goes on trial Monday

The police chief in Thunder Bay, Ont., will go on trial Monday, after being charged with breach of trust and obstructing justice in May 2017.

He faces charges of breach of trust, obstructing justice in case tied to mayor, prominent lawyer

Thunder Bay police Chief J.P. Levesque will stand trial beginning on Monday. He faces charges of obstruction of justice and breach of trust. (Jeff Walters/CBC)

The police chief in Thunder Bay, Ont., will go ontrial Monday, after being charged with breach of trustand obstructing justice in May.

The charges are intertwined with the cases of two other high-profile people in Thunder Bay Thunder Bay Mayor Keith Hobbsandlawyer Alexander (Sandy)Zaitzeff who face a number of other charges,

J.P. Levesque was charged on May 23by the Ontario Provincial Police, in connection with analleged disclosure of confidential information about Mayor Hobbs. The investigation was originally requested by the RCMP. The offence was alleged to have taken place between Dec.14 and Dec 26, 2016.

OPP investigator Martin Graham told CBCNews that Levesque, "being an official, namely a peace officer, did commit a breach of trust in connection with the duties of his office by disclosing confidential information concerning Keith Hobbs."

Levesque has been on medical leave since the charges were laid.

Levesque will be tried by judge alone. He waived his right to a preliminary hearing.

Thunder Bay police Chief J.P. Levesque was charged by the OPP in May. (CBC)

Staff Sgt. Carolle Dionne with the OPP said the charges against Levesque stem from the same investigation that led to charges being laid against Mayor Hobbs and his wife, Marisa Hobbs.

The Hobbses and Thunder Bay resident Mary Voss have been charged with extortion by the OPP, with Keith and Marisa Hobbs also facing charges of obstruction of justice.

Zaitzeffhas been charged withassault, sexual assault, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touchingand mischief. The details of these charges are subject to a publication ban.

Court documents allege that Keith Hobbs, Marisa Hobbsand Voss attempted to induce Zaitzeff to purchase a house for Voss. In that transaction, court documents said the three used "threats, accusations or menaces of disclosing criminal allegations to the police, thereby committing extortion."

KeithHobbs made a statement of claim related to Zaitzeff's actions, and alleged that Zaitzeff told Hobbs he would "submarine and bury him."

Alexander (Sandy) Zaitzeff is currently out on bail. He faces charges of assault and a number of sexual assault offences. (CBC)

Zaitzeff was arrested and charged on Nov.25, 2016, a week after the statement of claim was filed by Keith Hobbs.

There are other twists in the plot, including an allegation that theHobbses attempted to "obstruct the course of justice in a judicial proceeding by interfering in a criminal investigation into an allegation of extortionreported to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police."

In March of this year,Keith Hobbs launched a lawsuit over the claims and counterclaims, seeking general damages of $750,000 as well as special damages of $100,000 and punitive damages of $100,000.

Thunder Bay Mayor Keith Hobbs faces charges of extortion and obstruction of justice. (Jeff Walters/CBC)

The OPP told CBCNews the charges laid against Voss and the Hobbsesall stem from the same investigation that led to charges against Levesque.

The OPP also said it was Levesque who requested the OPP investigate the allegations of wrongdoing by a municipal politician.

Zaitzeffwill have a preliminary hearing for his charges on Feb. 21, 2018.

The Hobbseshave a court appearance scheduled for Dec.21.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.