A St. Thomas man who was found guilty following a 2023 drug trafficking investigation in Chatham-Kent (CK) has been granted bail while he appeals his gun charges.
Steven Brown was released on bail on September 16 after the Ontario Court of Appeal decided that a warrant allowing St. Thomas police to search his home and seize a loaded firearm breached his Charter rights.
Close to $1 million worth of drugs and firearms were confiscated after police carried out search warrants in Chatham, London, and St. Thomas on October 4, 2023, as part of a drug investigation in CK, which involved police from Chatham-Kent, London, Windsor, St. Thomas, and the Ontario Provincial Police.
Brown must live with his mother in St. Thomas under house arrest, will be subject to electronic monitoring, and can only leave the house accompanied by one of his sureties.
A ruling from the Appeals Court indicated that the trial judge viewed the police’s entry into Brown’s home as a serious violation of his privacy but chose not to dismiss the evidence.
The Appeals Court judge concluded that the appeal isn’t frivolous, saw no major public safety issues related to Brown’s release plan, and was convinced that this strict arrangement adequately addresses any public safety concerns arising from his release.
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