Hamilton cop Craig Ruthowsky, charged in gang raids, has bail hearing
Project Pharaoh executed 50 search warrants at dawn Thursday
A Hamilton Police officer charged as part of a series of gang raids across the GTHA will remain in custody at least one more day, with his bail hearing set to continue Tuesday.
Project Pharaoh executed 50 search warrants at dawn Thursday, collecting 45 people who are facing a total of 379 charges. Hamilton officer Craig Ruthowsky was one of those arrested, with Toronto police alleging he participated in the activities of a criminal organization.
Ruthowsky, 41, appeared at a Toronto courthouse Monday wearing a red shirt and grey sweatpants, after spending the weekend in jail. He is attempting to get bail on four charges, including:
- Breach of trust.
- Conspiracy to commit an indictable (traffic cocaine).
- Participate in activities of a criminal organization.
- Commission of an indictable offence for a criminal organization.
The details of the bail court hearing are under a publication ban. The matter was not resolved Monday, and will continue to be heard in the Finch courthouse on Tuesday.
Ruthowsky's family, including his wife Christine, also a Hamilton Police officer, were at the courthouse but declined to speak with reporters.
Well supported
Bernard Cummins, counsel for the accused Ruthowsky, said that while there are "better places" for the accused officer to spend a night rather than in jail, his client will be fine.
"He's doing very well, he's resilient and strong," Cummins said outside of the courthouse. "My client is strong, I believe in him… "I'm not concerned about what the police allege."
"We have many family members here," Cummins said. "I can tell you that my client is well supported."
Cummins did not elaborate any further about the alleged offences, or Ruthowsky's ongoing Police Act charges.
Crown counsel John Pollard declined to comment because of the publication ban.
The Project Pharaoh arrests were part of a year-and-a-half long investigation into the Toronto gang, the Monstarz.
Police seized, in total, 33 kilograms of cocaine, $196,000 Canadian and $18,000 American in cash and 14 firearms.
The total street value of the drugs seized is about $3.8 million.
Ruthowsky previously served on Hamilton's guns and gangs unit. The charges against Ruthowsky stem from allegations arising while he was suspended with pay for unrelated charges laid under the Ontario Police Act, laid in June 2012.
According to the Hamilton Spectator, the original and unrelated police act allegations against Ruthowsky involve leaking confidential information to an informant.