Four family members hear 508 firearms and drugs charges against them in Napanee court

Four members of one family appeared before Justice of the Peace Deanne Chapelle in her Napanee Court of Justice today to face hundreds of charges, most related to drugs and firearms.

Terry Boldrick and Sharon Boldrick, both 58, and their sons 27-year-old Joshua Boldrick and 30-year-old Matthew Boldrick, appeared virtually from local detention centres on Monday, May 27, 2024 to hear the staggering list of over 500 combined charges they are facing. In a press release earlier on Monday, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) relayed that the arrests and charges stem from executing a search warrant at a residence on Thrasher Road in Tyendinaga Township. While the OPP would not directly confirm that the four accused are members of the same family, the provincial police force noted that they all share the same last name and address, so "the general public will make their own assumptions on that." Kingstonist has found a marriage certificate for the two elder Boldricks, and social media accounts of the two younger Boldricks indicate direct familial connections between all four of the accused.

Sharon Boldrick appeared via video from Quinte Detention Centre, wearing the customary dark green of women in the provincial justice system. She told Chapelle she did not understand what was happening.

When she learned she was facing 157 charges, Boldrick exclaimed, “Oh my God,” and broke into breathless sobs. She met privately with duty counsel John Pietrykowski in a video breakout room.

Provincial Crown attorney Tim Kavanagh and federal Crown attorney Michael Mandelcorn were both representing the Crown at the hearings due to the combined provincial and federal offences. As they discussed the case with Chapelle and the duty counsel, Sharon Boldrick continued to weep heavily and wring her hands.

It was mentioned that she had a bail surety in mind and that he was on the Zoom call, but her case was adjourned to late May to set a date for a bail hearing in early June.

Joshua Boldrick appeared next, dressed in an orange jumpsuit from the Central East Correctional Centre (CECC) in Lindsay, his long beard and hair unkempt.

He, too, was given time in a breakout room with duty counsel to discuss the matter. Upon his return, he was adjourned to later in the week. Court staff mentioned that not all of the 157 charges apply to the youngest member of the family.

Matthew Boldrick also appeared in orange from CECC. He looked very similar to his brother, with a long, unkempt beard. He followed the proceedings stoically as the court heard that all 157 charges pertained to the 30-year-old. Mandelcorn noted that Matthew Boldrick was in a “show cause, reverse onus situation” when it came to bail (see explanation below). It was also revealed that he is under a non-communication order, though the person the order pertains to was not named.

His case was adjourned to late May to set a date for a show cause bail hearing in early June.

Terry Boldrick slumped in his chair when he appeared to listen to the charges against him. Mandelcorn noted that though not all 157 charges pertain to Terry Boldrick, any bail hearing for him would also be a show cause hearing with “reverse onus." His case was adjourned to late May to set a date for a show cause bail hearing in early June.

In 2023, changes were made to the Criminal Code’s bail regime to address serious repeat violent offending, promote community safety, and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. These amendments took effect on January 4, 2024.

Specifically, the reforms to the bail system involve targeted amendments to the bail regime of the Criminal Code of Canada meant to enhance public safety and address repeat violent offending at the bail stage. The amendments create a reverse onus (meaning that the onus shifts to the accused person to convince the court they should be released rather than detained while awaiting their trial) to target serious repeat violent offending involving weapons. The amendments also expand the list of firearms offences that trigger a reverse onus.

Justice Chapelle ordered that the camera system be moved to include a shot of Terry Boldrick’s elderly father and brother in the courtroom. She noted their presence and had them identify themselves to make sure Terry Boldrick knew they were “here in the courtroom for you.”

Terry Boldrick’s brother, Wayne, indicated he would be attempting to find a local defence attorney for Terry.

According to police, during the execution of a search warrant on Friday, May 24, 2024, copious amounts of drugs and firearms were located and seized at a property on Thrasher Road.

In terms of drugs, the OPP said officers seized nearly 200 grams of suspected cocaine, over a kilogram of suspected methamphetamine, close to 2,000 grams of suspected MDMA (ecstasy), “quantities of” suspected heroin and psilocybin, and “a large quantity of pills.”

Concerning firearms, police said that nearly 100 firearms were seized, including handguns and long guns --- some of which had been reported stolen.

“Several of the firearms were loaded,” the OPP detailed.

“A large quantity of ammunition, Canadian currency, paraphernalia consistent with drug trafficking, and additional recovered stolen property were also seized.”

A total of 508 charges under the Criminal Code of Canada and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act were laid against the four accused parties, police reported. These included:

• 100 counts of possession of a non-restricted or restricted firearm without a licence

• 100 counts of knowledge of an unauthorized possession of a restricted or prohibited firearm

• 68 counts of unauthorized possession of a loaded firearm

• Unauthorized possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle

• 68 counts of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose

• 24 counts of possession of a firearm that was obtained by the commission of an offence

• Four counts of possession of a firearm for the purpose of trafficking

• 30 counts of possession of a firearm or ammunition contrary to prohibition order

• 21 counts of careless storage of a firearm

• 28 counts of possession of stolen property

• Tampering with a serial number

• Four counts of possession of a Schedule 1 substance for the purpose of trafficking – methamphetamine

• Four counts of possession of a Schedule 1 substance for the purpose of trafficking – cocaine

• Four counts of possession of a Schedule 1 substance for the purpose of trafficking – heroin

• Four counts of possession of a Schedule 1 substance for the purpose of trafficking – other drugs

• Four counts of possession of a Schedule 1 substance for the purpose of trafficking – other drugs

Michelle Dorey Forestell, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Kingstonist.com