Hamilton police seize handguns, cocaine, cash from home, storage lockers: Ancaster couple charged
A couple from Ancaster are facing drug and firearm charges after police searched a home and two storage lockers, finding $11,000 worth of cocaine, cash and two handguns.
The man arrested is the same Ancaster man charged in March under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act for continuing to operate a non-essential business - allegedly selling drugs - during the COVID-19 pandemic. The charge marked the second time police ticketed someone under the EMPCA legislation.
It was his arrest on the evening March 27, where police alleged they watched as he made several stops in a black Jeep Grand Cherokee to sell drugs, that spurred a deeper probe by the vice and drug unit.
On April 30, police executed warrants at the man's Ancaster home, in the area of Golf Links Road and Meadowlands Boulevard, along with storage units near Stone Church Road East and Dartnall Road and at Appleby Line and Mainway in Burlington. Police also searched vehicles associated with the man.
Along with the cocaine, Hamilton police said they seized a Hi-Point semi-automatic handgun with ammunition and a Hopkins and Allen revolver from one of the storage lockers.
In one storage locker they found a duffel bag with $166,120 cash and an additional $4,450 was found in the Ancaster residence. A large compression tool used to compress cocaine and three digital scales coated in cocaine were also found in a storage locker.
A 29-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman were arrested without incident.
He was held for bail and she was released on a promise to appear in court July 8.
Both Nicholas Deschenes and Marija Deschenes are charged with several firearm offences, possession of cocaine, possession of proceeds of crime over and under $5,000.
He is also charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and 11 counts of failing to comply with a release order.
Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Sgt. Jason Cattle at 905-546-3883.
To remain anonymous contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or crimestoppershamilton.com.
Nicole O'Reilly is a Hamilton-based reporter covering crime and justice for The Spectator. Reach her via email: noreilly@thespec.com