The purported plot to harm a prison official that sparked the police corruption and organized crime investigation dubbed Project South was reportedly orchestrated by individuals who hired hitmen through fake identities on an encrypted messaging platform, as per legal documents. Leading up to the alleged assassination attempt, the suspects purportedly utilized the Signal app to exchange personal details and images of the intended victim, a high-ranking corrections officer at the Toronto South Detention Centre, whose identity is shielded by a court order.
Details outlined in a legal brief submitted by Crown prosecutors in Ontario Superior Court last month suggest that intercepted conversations on confiscated cellphones shed light on an alleged network involved in hiring hitmen for the purported assassination attempt.
The initiation of the Project South inquiry dates back to June 2025 when York Regional Police interceded in the purported murder plot after a collision between the suspect vehicle and a police cruiser stationed outside the targeted official’s residence.
Initially, nearly 30 individuals were apprehended in connection with Project South, including seven Toronto police officers and a retired constable. Subsequently, one officer pleaded guilty, while another individual’s charge was dismissed.
Two days before the foiled assassination bid, conversations on Signal indicate that Dequon Lemonious, who is allegedly known as “Danny Phantom,” communicated with Median Jackson, purportedly using the alias “Lebron James,” requesting reconnaissance on the target’s address for a potential attack.
Allegedly, Lemonious shared sensitive information and images obtained from an unauthorized search of the Ministry of Transportation database, which was believed to have been accessed unlawfully by a Toronto police officer.
As per the record, Lemonious expressed the need for a “hit squad” once the target’s location was confirmed. Additionally, discussions between Lemonious and Jackson involved planning other criminal activities, with Lemonious providing information to Jackson, who then subcontracted the tasks to others in exchange for monetary compensation.
Further messages retrieved from a different individual’s cellphone, accused of conspiring in the assassination plot, revealed attempts to enlist help for the attack. However, the job was declined by one person before being offered to another user on Signal.
The court documents detail the coordination of a team to carry out the attack on the corrections officer’s residence. The operation faced challenges due to a malfunctioning stolen vehicle utilized by the assailants, leading to its interception by law enforcement at the scene of the planned attack.
Named defendants, Almar Heath, Jackson, Lemonious, Barker-Campbell, and two minors, are facing charges related to conspiracy to murder the prison official. Legal representation for some defendants declined to comment, while Lemonious is currently unrepresented.
During the investigation, it was allegedly discovered that Toronto police Const. Timothy Barnhardt was responsible for the unauthorized access of the corrections officer’s information. Barnhardt’s legal team has indicated a defense strategy to be presented in court rather than through media channels.
The court filings also mention incidents where the suspect vehicle was spotted near the target’s residence, including a confrontation with the victim’s grandfather. Subsequent police surveillance led to the apprehension of the suspects involved in the planned attack.
Video evidence purportedly found on a suspect’s phone revealed previous criminal activities, including a shooting incident at a restaurant, where the same vehicle was intended for use but had technical issues, necessitating a different vehicle for the crime.
The legal claims remain unproven in court, and the investigation continues.
[Source](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/texts-reveal-alleged-gun-for-hire-project-south-9.7306502)