(Ottawa)—The Ottawa Police Service Organized Auto Theft Unit conducted a joint investigation with the Service de la sécurité publique de la MRC des Collines resulting in four arrests and 26 seized vehicles. The investigation began in the winter of 2014 and concluded in late August 2015.
A total of 49 charges have been laid against four individuals, including Laundering Proceeds of Crime, Fraud, Uttering Forged Documents, Trafficking in Property Obtained by Crime and Possession of Property Obtained by Crime. The accused are:
Sasha BOUFFARD, 39 years old of Gatineau pled guilty and will be sentenced in October 2015.
Salvator DONATO, 68 years old of Ottawa is facing the charges before the courts.
Joey MASSE, 50 years old of Ottawa is facing charges before the courts.
Calibur KIESMAN, 31 years old of Ottawa pled guilty and was sentenced to a 12 month conditional sentence and 12 months of Probation.
The 26 vehicles were stolen in Ontario and Quebec and given new vehicle identification numbers (VIN) before being registered in Ontario and sold. They were sold up to $30,000 – $40,000 below market value.
“If the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is,” said Staff Sergeant Stephanie Burns, Property and Enterprise Crime Unit, Ottawa Police. “Know that if you are found to be in possession of a stolen vehicle it will be seized as stolen property by the police and returned to its rightful owner.”
The seizure of a vehicle can often create a second victim. In cases involving the unwitting purchase of a stolen vehicle, the purchaser is deprived of the vehicle and the monies paid for it once the police or other law enforcement agency seizes the vehicle.
The Ottawa Police would like to remind the public to consult our webpage on Organized Auto Theft for tips to avoid the purchase of a stolen vehicle.