Toronto man charged with weapons trafficking tied to Project South probe

A Toronto man is facing a new weapons trafficking charge linked to a sweeping police corruption investigation, with court records revealing he was already under a conditional sentence for a prior firearm offence.

The case adds to the growing scope of Project South, a probe into alleged corruption and organized crime ties involving multiple officers.

• The details inside ‘Project South’: How Toronto cops are accused of leaking information to criminals
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Court documents obtained by CTV News Toronto show 27-year-old Dequon Lemonious, appeared at the Ontario Court of Justice in Newmarket on March 4, 2025, where he was sentenced for possession of a loaded firearm.

He received a 12-month conditional sentence set to expire in September 2026, followed by a 12-month non-reporting probation order that had yet to begin.

As part of that sentence, Lemonious was required to “keep the peace and be of good behaviour,” according to the documents.

Records indicate he had been complying with supervision requirements, reporting every three weeks “without issue” prior to his latest arrest.

New charge and alleged breach

On March 20, 2026, York Regional Police charged Lemonious with weapons trafficking.

Officials noted in the documents that the new allegation placed him in breach of his conditional sentence.

In an email to CTV News Toronto, investigators confirmed the arrest is connected to Project South but declined further comment.

“As this is connected to Project South, there is no additional information that we can provide,” York Regional Police said in an email. “As it is an open and ongoing investigation, no interviews are being facilitated at this time.”

It remains unclear how Lemonious is alleged to be involved in the broader probe.

History of prior allegations

This is also not the first run in with the law for Lemonious.

Police also confirmed to CTV News that in September 2023, Lemonious was identified as one of three suspects in a shooting at a plaza parking lot in Vaughan.

• 2 suspects sought in shooting at Vaughan plaza parking lot

Project South has led to nearly 30 arrests and more than 160 charges tied to organized crime, data leaks, and an alleged murder plot.

The investigation remains ongoing.