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Const. Elias Mouawad pleaded guilty Monday to unauthorized use of a computer in the Project South corruption investigation, and the Crown withdrew a breach of trust charge. He was among eight current and retired Toronto officers charged in the probe.
A Toronto police officer charged as part of the police corruption probe dubbed Project South pleaded guilty Monday to unauthorized access of a computer. Const.
Elias Mouawad, who was 24 at the time of the incident, accessed a device in a police cruiser to search for a licence plate on Jan. 19, according to an agreed statement of facts read out in Ontario Superior Court. He was asked to do so by a former employer for whom he had worked as a security guard - but Mouawad was unaware of who the information would be shared with and for what purpose, the agreed statement of facts said.
Breach of Trust Charge Withdrawn
Defence lawyer Peter Brauti confirmed the plea was entered in court on Monday. Brauti also confirmed the Crown withdrew a breach of trust charge against his client. Mouawad, of Mississauga, was arrested on Feb. 4 and initially charged with two offences: unauthorized access of a computer and breach of trust. On Monday, the Crown withdrew the second charge.
At the Toronto courtroom Monday, Mouawad could be seen wiping away tears during the proceedings, while his mother, who was sitting next to Mouawad's father, cried as she heard the details surrounding the incident. The Crown is seeking a four-month conditional sentence, which would be broken down into two months of house arrest and two months of curfew from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m., and a minimum of one year of probation, prosecutor Samuel Walker said Monday.
Defence lawyer Peter Brauti instead called for a conditional discharge, saying the Crown's sentence would be disproportionate. Mouawad was among eight current and retired Toronto police officers charged in the Project South investigation led by York Regional Police. The officers were among 27 suspects charged earlier this year in the probe that uncovered allegations of bribery, conspiracy to commit murder and drug trafficking, among other offences.
Project South Origins And Allegations
The case unfolded after police in York Region started investigating an alleged plot to kill a corrections facility officer, leading to accusations that some Toronto officers had leaked personal information to members of an organized crime group. Project South began in June 2025 when York Regional Police thwarted an alleged plot to kill a senior corrections officer at the Toronto South Detention Centre.
In total, six Toronto police officers, one retired constable and 19 civilians are facing charges in Project South. Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw, left, is joined by York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween, centre, and YRP Deputy Chief Ryan Hogan at a press conference to announce the results of Project South, a lengthy investigation into organized crime and corruption at York Regional Police headquarters in Aurora, Ont. , on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026.
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CP24:Toronto officer charged under Project South pleads guilty to improper computer searchThis story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
Project South Toronto Police Unauthorized Computer Access Police Corruption Ontario Superior Court Elias Mouawad Toronto Police Corruption York Regional Police
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