Another officer charged in the Project South corruption probe pleaded guilty – Toronto

A Toronto police officer charged in the Project South corruption probe has pleaded guilty and becomes the second person to do so.

Constant. Elias Mouawad, one of eight current and former Toronto police officers arrested in the investigation, entered his plea in court in downtown Toronto on Monday morning.

Mouawad pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized use of a computer. When he was arrested in February, he was also charged with breaching the public trust.

Project South began in June 2025 after a high-ranking employee at the Toronto South Detention Center was identified as the target of an alleged murder attempt. The investigation is also suspected to be related to the Ryan Wedding drug network, an alleged weapons rental network, and illegal pharmacies.

York Regional Police wrote in recent, partially unsealed court documents in an effort to obtain a search warrant that actions taken by some officers “suggest a broader pattern of corruption, abuse of police authority, and facilitation of criminal activity.”

As part of the investigation, it is alleged that Const. Timothy Barnhardt and other Toronto police officers exploited unauthorized information.

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Mouawad’s lawyer, Peter Brauti, previously told Global News that his client asked to plead guilty immediately after he was charged.

He said Mouawad’s efforts were unsuccessful because the Kingdom was not ready to accept the defense. The Crown told the court that the issue was not related to their office or the initial delay in the application, but that it developed quickly.

Brauti said his client felt he had been dragged into Project South.

“When the information was released to the press, our client made it appear as though he was part of the very, very serious conduct alleged at Project South, when in fact he was not,” he said.

“This was an officer who conducted a single, unauthorized check and had nothing to do with all the allegations of drug dealing, corruption, attempted murder and so on. This is a completely separate issue.”

He added Mouawad was “under this cloud” after Project South and that the public had not been given a “true picture” of his “relatively minor” mistakes.

Mouawad was the second officer arrested and pleaded guilty.

In July, ex-cop. Derek McCormick pleaded guilty to two charges: theft under $5,000 for stealing a cell phone and breach of trust by stealing “found property.” He was initially charged with four counts of theft under $5,000, one count of breach of trust by a public official and another count of obstruction of justice.

At the time, York Regional Police alleged his involvement in Project South centered on his participation in the theft of personal items from police facilities. The alleged personal property includes a driver’s license, health card and passport. A “large amount” of the funds were recovered.

McCormick resigned as a police officer earlier this year, a police spokesperson previously told Global News.

— with files from Catherine McDonald

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