 Thursday, December 7, 2017
Lengthy Financial Crime Unit Investigation – Arrests: R17-735
During the summer of 2016, the Winnipeg Police Service began to receive several reports of used luxury vehicles being fraudulently obtained by numerous persons using forged identity documents. During a two month period, eight vehicles were successfully obtained from various dealerships with a combined value of $520,000.
With the assistance of CBSA, two of the vehicles were recovered in a shipping container in the Port of Montreal bound for overseas.
In October and December of 2016, a further three vehicles were fraudulently obtained using similar means. Members of the Financial Crime Unit created Project Whip in response to what was now a very concerning fraud trend.
Investigators were able to determine that bank accounts were being opened outside of Manitoba using forged out of province driver's licences and forged employment records. Those same suspects then arrived in Winnipeg and financed vehicles using those same forged identity documents and associated bank accounts. The suspects were able to obtain the following vehicles:
- 2016 Chrysler 300
- 2012 Mercedes C63
- 2012 Range Rover
Financial Crime investigators with the assistance of perceptive General Patrol members were able to establish a local connection to the most recent frauds.
Officers were able to recover two of the vehicles in the City of Winnipeg and one in the RM of Ritchot. On January 5, 2017, a search warrant was executed at a residence on Red Oak Drive in the City of Winnipeg. Several arrests were made at that time for fraud and property offences related to the investigation.
Subsequent investigation led to the identification of other individuals involved in this criminal scheme. The following individuals were arrested during the course of the investigation and charged for their involvement. They are currently before the courts. (Investigation has revealed that this group is not responsible for the initial 8 vehicles that were obtained in the summer of 2016.)
Bemy Solow Nendaka, a 31-year-old male of Winnipeg.
Participate in a Criminal Organization
Fraud Over $5,000, Posses Property Obtained by Crime Over $5,000
Possess/Use Forged Document et al…
Amadou Diaby, a 26-year-old male of Winnipeg.
Participate in a Criminal Organization
Fraud Over $5,000, Posses Property Obtained by Crime Over $5,000
Identity Theft, Possess/Use Forged Document et al…
Kyle George Andrysiak, a 22-year-old male of Calgary, Alberta.
Participate in a Criminal Organization
Fraud Over $5,000, Identity Fraud, Identity Theft
Use Forged Document et al….
Sekou Amadou Dicko, a 48-year-old male of Winnipeg.
Possess Property Obtained by Crime Over $5,000
Possess Identity Document (x4)
As Identity Fraud continues to be a growing concern, the public is reminded that identity documents such as Driver's Licences have robust security features and that they should be scrutinized when conducting transactions where these documents are involved.
Theft of Narcotics – Arrests: C17-274893
On November 27, 2017, at approximately 3:00 a.m., six vials of narcotics were stolen from a Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) ambulance parked in an ambulance bay at the St. Boniface Hospital.
The medication, which is packaged in plastic vials, consisted of:
- Midazolam (2 vials)
- Fentanyl (4 vials)
Members of the Street Crime Unit entered into an investigation and identified a suspect.
On December 7, 2017, at approximately 12:00 a.m., two males were located and placed under arrest in the area of Kennedy Street and Ellice Avenue. 2 vials of Fentanyl, believed to have been stolen from the ambulance, were recovered as well as a small amount of methamphetamine.
Christopher Lee Tonn, a 36-year-old male of Winnipeg, has been charged with:
- Possession of a Scheduled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking - Fentanyl
- Possession of Scheduled Substance - Methamphetamine
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime under $5,000
Gary William Dutka, a 44-year-old male of Winnipeg,has been charged with:
- Possession of a Scheduled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking - Fentanyl
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime under $5,000
They were detained in custody.
The WFPS wishes to remind the public that taking any amount of these drugs without medical supervision can be dangerous or fatal.
Impaired Driving – Arrest: C17-274848
On December 6, 2017, members of the Winnipeg Police Traffic Division were conducting the annual Festive Check Stop program at Main Street and Market Avenue.
At approximately 9:30 p.m. officers were doing a line check of motorists in the area and encountered a driver that did not possess a driver's license nor did he have the required contract information accompanying the rental vehicle be was operating.
The driver exhibited signed of impairment by drug and officers noticed what appeared to be a syringe beside the driver who admitted to injecting an unknown quantity of meth earlier. The driver was taken into custody and upon his arrest, two points of meth were found in his possession.
It was discovered that the vehicle which the male was operating had been stolen (unreported) from Scarborough Ontario. In addition, the arrested male provided police with a false name. His true identity was determined via fingerprints.
Rommel Celfo Jimenez, 42-years-old of no fixed address,was arrested and charged with:
- Possession of a Scheduled Substance - Methamphetamine
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000
- Public Mischief
- Drive While Ability Impaired
- Fail to Comply with Condition of Recognizance
A drug recognition exam determined that the driver was impaired by a central nervous system stimulant.
Jimenez was detained in custody.
Drug – Arrest: C17-274186
On December 5, 2017, at approximately 10:53 p.m. Winnipeg Police general patrol officers conducted a traffic stop of a suspicious vehicle in the 500 block of Flora Street.
Four occupants exited the vehicle and driver spoke with police, unable to provide any information about the vehicle and its owner.
Upon checking the vehicle, several dime bags of methamphetamine were observed, along with two cell phones, empty dime bags and a weigh scale. In total, approximately 65.93 grams of Methamphetamine, valued at $6500.00. All items were later seized.
All occupants were placed under arrest and transported to the district three station. An adult male was later found to have three more dime bags of methamphetamine on his person, totalling 12.4 grams worth $1240.00. The driver and a third adult male were found to have a moderate amount of money on their person, believed to be proceeds of crime.
The driver, Danny Davis Ballantyne, 28-years-old of Winnipeg, has been charged with Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5000, Drive Disqualified and Possession of a Scheduled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking.
Vincent Raymond Moneyas, 37-years-old of Winnipeg,has been charged with the Possession of a Scheduled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking - Methamphetamine and Fail to Comply with Recognizance.
Jared Daniel Parisian, 29-years-old of Winnipeg, has been charged with Possession of a Scheduled Substance and Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5000.
All three males were detained in custody.
In addition, an adult female was also charged with Possession of a Scheduled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking. She was released on a Promise to Appear. |
For further information contact either:
Constable Rob Carver, Public Information Officer
Constable Jay Murray, Public Information Officer
Constable Tammy Skrabek, Public Information Officer
Kelly Dehn, Manager of Public Affairs
Phone: (204) 986-3061 | Fax: (204) 986-3267 | Email: WPS-PIO@Winnipeg.ca | Share this mailing with your social network by clicking on the appropriate link:   | |
