Seven people are facing a combined 54 charges after a month-long investigation by provincial police yielded a loaded handgun and a significant quantity of illicit drugs.
Lennox and Addington County OPP say the East Region Community Street Crime Unit, assisted by the Durham Region Police Tactical Unit, executed search warrants on Thursday at residences on Dundas Street in Napanee and Mount Pleasant Avenue in Whitby.
During the searches, officers seized just over one kilogram of suspected cocaine, 16 grams of suspected fentanyl and nearly 50 Percocet tablets. Investigators also located a fully loaded handgun with ammunition, approximately $20,000 in mixed Canadian and American currency and roughly $40,000 in jewelry believed to be the proceeds of crime, alongside scales and cellphones.
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Jermain Simmonds, 33, and Karen Mills, 35, both of Whitby, face numerous charges, including possession of cocaine, fentanyl and Percocet for trafficking, as well as unauthorized possession of a loaded firearm, careless storage and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. Simmonds faces an additional charge for operating a motor vehicle while prohibited.
Dionne Wilson, 55, and Charles Wilson, 36, both of Whitby, were jointly charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and several firearms-related offences.
Meanwhile, Jayden Vinceanthony, 24, of Pickering; Justin Hutson, 42, of Napanee and Sarah Voss, 39, of Tyendinaga, were jointly charged with possession of cocaine, fentanyl and Percocet for the purpose of trafficking, alongside possession of property obtained by crime and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. Vinceanthony was additionally charged with failing to comply with a probation order.
Police say six of the accused were held in custody pending a bail hearing in Greater Napanee on Friday. Dionne Wilson was released and is scheduled to appear in court at a later date.