Pubdate: Wed, 16 May 2012
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2012 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Author: Peter Small

POLICE CORRUPTION TRIAL: NEVER SAID WE SEIZED A POUND OF COCAINE,
OFFICER SAYS

A former drug squad officer on trial for corruption denies his team
under-reported almost $17,000 worth of cocaine seized from a
trafficker's home.

Raymond Pollard, 48, took the stand in his defence Wednesday and
disputed another police officer's testimony.

Det.-Sgt. Ray Fortin testified in March that in 1999 he ran into
Pollard, who told them about his team's arrest of drug dealer Andy
Ioakim two years previous.

Fortin said Pollard told him his crew had seized a pound of cocaine -
worth about $20,000 wholesale - from Ioakim's Richmond Hill house on
Oct. 30, 1997.

But in police documents, Pollard's team reported seizing only 2.5
ounces - worth about $3,000 - from the house.

Ioakim has testified Pollard's team stole his cocaine, marijuana and
more than $100,000 from his home, but his story has varied over the
years.

Fortin testified he used Pollard's information about a pound being
seized in an application for a search warrant to raid another Ioakim
home.

Pollard denied Wednesday he ever told Fortin a pound was
seized.

Pollard said he didn't see the drugs being seized but later learned
from fellow officers that the amount was 2 to 3 ounces.

"Did anyone ever tell you that a pound of cocaine had come out of
Ioakim's house," asked his lawyer, Earl Levy.

"No," Pollard said.

Under cross-examination by prosecutor Joan Barrett, Pollard agreed
Fortin's search warrant application was accurate in every other
respect - except for the disputed pound of cocaine - when it described
his team's arrest of Ioakim.

Pollard, John Schertzer, 54, Steven Correia, 45, Joseph Miched, 53,
and Ned Maodus, 49, are on trial for conspiracy to attempt to obstruct
justice, theft, assault and extortion.

The trial continues Thursday.
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