A Richmond Hill man has been charged with multiple offences after an illegal handgun, drugs and cash were seized in an apartment occupied by a man and his three children last Thursday.
Officers executed a search warrant in Richmond Hill on Thursday, May 25 as part of an investigation of a suspected drug trafficker that began in May, according to a York Regional Police news release.
An illegal loaded 9mm Ruger handgun was found wrapped in a sweater, in a child’s bedroom closet, next to a crib, police said.
Three children, aged three, eight and 12, were in the home at the time of the seizures. The Children’s Aid Society has been notified, police said.
The accused is not being named to protect the identity of the children.
The 33-year-old man is charged with:
• Possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm;
• Possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized;
• Careless storage of a firearm;
• Possession of a weapon contrary to prohibition order;
• Utter threats;
• Trafficking cocaine;
• Possession for the purpose - cocaine.
“It is deplorable that a loaded firearm and cocaine were easily accessible to three young children in their own home and shocking the gun was found next to a crib in a three-year-old’s bedroom,” said Chief Jim MacSween.
“Thanks to the hard work of members of our guns, gangs and drug enforcement unit these life-threatening dangers have been removed from the children’s home.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the York Regional Police Guns, Gangs and Drug Enforcement Unit at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7772, or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS, or leave an anonymous tip online at www.1800222tips.com.