NEWS RELEASE
NIAGARA REGIONAL POLICE SERVICE
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In October 2022, Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) street crime detectives assigned to 2 District (Niagara Falls / Niagara-on-the-Lake) with the assistance of 3 District (Welland / Port Colborne) street crime detectives, commenced an investigation into the distribution of illegal drugs throughout the City of Niagara Falls.
In the evening hours of Oct. 20, 2022, detectives received judicial authorization to execute a search warrant at an address in the area of Allendale Avenue and Main Street, in the City of Niagara Falls. As a result of the investigation three individuals have been arrested. In total, detectives recovered 367.1 grams of suspected fentanyl, 21.9 grams of suspected cocaine, one Mossberg shotgun, one .22 caliber handgun, 172 shotgun bullets, and one .22 caliber bullet. The combined estimated value of the drugs seized is $40,400.
Ethan MacNeil (19 years) has been arrested and charged with the following criminal offences:
- Possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking
- Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
- Possession of a firearm other than a restricted or prohibited firearm knowingly not holding a licence
- Possession of a firearm other than a restricted or prohibited firearm without holding a licence
- Possess prohibited/restricted weapon or prohibited device knowing possession is unauthorized
- Possession of a restricted or prohibited firearm knowingly not holding a licence
- Possession of a restricted or prohibited firearm without holding a licence
- Possession of firearm, weapon, ammunition contrary to prohibition order
- Careless storage of a firearm, weapon, prohibited device
- Fail to comply with release order
Trya-Lee Leitch (18 years) of Bridgetown, Ont. is charged with the following criminal offences:
- Possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking
- Possession of a firearm other than a restricted or prohibited firearm knowingly not holding a licence
- Possess prohibited/restricted weapon or prohibited device knowing possession is unauthorized
- Possession of a firearm other than a restricted or prohibited firearm without holding a licence
- Possession of a restricted or prohibited firearm knowingly not holding a licence
- Possession of a restricted or prohibited firearm without holding a licence
- Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000
- Careless storage of a firearm, weapon, prohibited device
Lucas Orcutt (19 years) has been arrested and charged with the following criminal offences:
- Possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking
- Possession of a firearm other than a restricted or prohibited firearm knowingly not holding a licence
- Possess prohibited/restricted weapon or prohibited device knowing possession is unauthorized
- Possession of a firearm other than a restricted or prohibited firearm without holding a licence
- Possession of a restricted or prohibited firearm knowingly not holding a licence
- Possession of a restricted or prohibited firearm without holding a licence
- Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000
- Careless storage of a firearm, weapon, prohibited device
MacNeil, Leitch, and Orcutt were held for a bail hearing that took place on Oct. 20, 2022, via video link to the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse, located at 59 Church Street, in the City of St. Catharines. All three have been remanded into the custody of Ontario Correctional Services.
Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact detectives at 905-688-4111, dial option #3, extension #1022200.
Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously are encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to persons who contact the program with information that leads to an arrest.
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