Gang investigation leads to 32 arrests on 184 gun and drug charges in Oshawa

More than 30 people have been arrested on nearly 200 charges following an six-month gang investigation in Oshawa.

Project Burton targeted members of an organization calling itself 22-30. The name stems from a double murder at the BLVD bar in 2022 when five people were shot in the bar that June.

Two victims, now known as Joshua “22” Wong and Jaheem “G-30” Spence were later pronounced dead in hospital. Louka Greaves, then 20 of Scarborough, was charged months later.

Wong and Spence’s deaths inspired this group, which according to Durham Police Chief Peter Moreira, operated mostly around the Simcoe Street North and Winchester Road area. This is a largely rural area in the city’s north end just above the Windfields Farm neighbourhood and the Durham College/Ontario Tech campus.

However, this group’s reach extended far beyond the city, reaching even British Columbia. According to Moriera 22-30 engaged in trafficking cocaine, fentanyl and guns across country.

Of the 32 arrests, 28 remain in custody. However, another 13 have been released on bail, three of whom have now “predictably” disappeared, per Moreira. Another two suspects, Isaiah Bailey-Benjamin, 23 and Sebastian Johnston, 29 of Oshawa, remain wanted on 11 and 15 charges respectively.

Additionally, police seized 16 weapons; 12 handguns, two rifles and two shotguns as well as seven prohibited devices like extended magazines. Half of these guns were illegally smuggled up from the United States. One had its serial number removed.

Police also seized a kilogram of cocaine and a kilo of fentanyl. (Only 2 milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose.) They also found about $80,000 in cash.

Durham Police worked with Toronto Police, the OPP and the Criminal Intelligence Services of Ontario in the nearly eight-month investigation. It involved 130 Tactical Support Officers from across Ontario, making it the largest tactical operation in Durham Police history.

The full list of arrested suspects includes;

• Caleb Bailey, 23 of Oshawa (one charge)
• Ilijah Bailey-Benjamin, 18 of Oshawa (10 charges)
• Ethan Baksh, 20 of Oshawa (five charges)
• Calista Baksh, 21 of Oshawa (five charges)
• Guy Bangoura, 25 of Oshawa (one charge)
• Devante Boyce, 19 of Ajax (five charges)
• Rishanna Boyce, 23 of Toronto (four charges)
• Diondre Campbell, 19 of Toronto (three charges)
• Alexandra Gayle, 19 of Toronto (six charges)
• Isaac Graham, 22 of Oshawa (four charges)
• Samantha Grist, 30 of Fenelon Falls (two charges)
• Mitchell Holter, 22 of Oshawa (five charges)
• Nathan Lopez, 26 of Toronto (four charges)
• Jimmy Maignan, 19 of Clarington (three charges)
• Tristan Mitchell, 21 of Ajax (four charges)
• Tyrell Myers, 35 of Oshawa (two charges)
• Cassandra Perilli, 33 of Whitby (one charge)
• Tariq Persaud, 21 of Oshawa (five charges)
• Collin Pike-Fournier, 27 of Whitby (three charges)
• Tabatha Riddell, 34 of Oshawa (one charge)
• Selvon Scott, 46 of Clarington, (eight charges)
• Jadon Sharma, 20 of Ajax (one charge)
• Nathan Shaw, 25 of Oshawa (two charges)
• Timothee Temuna, 21 of Oshawa (one charge)
• Latevia Watson, 18 of Ajax (five charges)
• Kidus Yohannes, 18 of Oshawa (three charges)
• Matthew Yong, 24 of Toronto (two charges)
• Caleb Yonis, 18 of Oshawa (six charges)
• A 17-year-old boy from Oshawa (10 charges)
• A second 17-year-old boy from Oshawa (three charges)
• A 17-year-old boy from Ajax (five charges)
• A 15-year-old boy from Whitby (seven charges)

Anyone with information can call police at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 5869 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).