Man, woman charged in extortion cases targeting Montreal restaurants
CTV
A man and woman are facing multiple charges in connection with cases of extortion and gunfire targeting Montreal restaurants over the summer months.
A man and woman are facing multiple charges in connection with cases of extortion and gunfire targeting Montreal restaurants over the summer months.
Taevon Nesfield, 30, and Avianna Thompson, 20, were arrested Thursday by the Montreal police's anti-gun squad, EMAF, after officers conducted searches at several homes.
Court records show that Nesfield, a Dorval resident, was charged with extortion after allegedly threatening the owner of the Maü restaurant on de la Montagne Street "to pay a sum of money" on July 5.
Police also allege he went into the restaurant on Sept. 12 at around 9:20 p.m. and used a hammer to damage the business while patrons were inside and assaulted "the staff and clients." The damaged property exceeds $5,000 in value, according to court documents.
His co-accused, Thompson, is a resident of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. She is facing a charge of discharging a firearm at the Sushi Hidden Fish restaurant also on de la Montagne between Aug. 25 and 26.
The man and woman are among five people arrested in recent weeks in a Montreal police investigation into a series of extortion and arson cases involving restaurants.
A 14-year-old boy was arrested for an attempted arson attack on the Bar Social on Wellington Street in Verdun on July 12. He was released with conditions on a promise to appear in youth court.
