York cop sentenced to more than 7 years in prison on corruption and drug-related charges
Const. Richard Senior now suspended without pay, is appealing conviction
A 16-year veteran with York Regional Police has been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison after his conviction on charges including breach of trust and drug trafficking last year.
In a news release from York police issued Thursday, Chief Jim MacSween said Const. Richard Senior has now been suspended without pay, as under the Police Services Act, a chief can't withhold pay from officers unless they are convicted and sentenced.
"This unacceptable criminal behaviour is not tolerated by our organization and my thanks go to the members who investigated this case and the prosecutors who secured the convictions," MacSween said.
Senior has initiated an appeal of his conviction and is expected to be released on bail until that process is complete, according to the news release.
Senior was arrested as part of a broader corruption probe in October 2018 and originally faced 30 charges, though more than half were dropped at the start of the trial.
Prosecutors alleged that he filed an intelligence report about his former mistress and falsely claimed the information came from an informant.
They also alleged Senior planned to rob a fictitious drug warehouse he heard about from an undercover officer who was posing as an informant.
The Crown further alleged the officer offered to sell the drugs from the planned robbery to two men he knew; sold steroids to another undercover officer posing as his partner; stole money meant to pay informants; and inappropriately accessed a police database and shared confidential information.