Toronto man pleads guilty to helping criminal organization tied to murder of Hamilton real estate agent
CBC
When Jamal Chemin was hired by a criminal organization to put a tracking device on Giorgio Barresi's BMW in 2020, he wasn't aware it would lead to the murder of the Hamilton real estate agent, says the Crown.
Chemin, 42, was initially charged last year with the first-degree murder of Barresi, a 42-year-old married father of three who was shot multiple times on his Stoney Creek driveway in 2020.
Sorossa Moude, 28, was also charged with Barresi's murder and his case remains before the courts.
Last month, the Crown withdrew the murder charge against Chemin and he instead pleaded guilty to knowingly participating in activities of a criminal organization and two counts of possessing prohibited loaded firearms.
Crown attorney Elise Quinn and Chemin's defence lawyer Adam Newman jointly requested an eight-year prison sentence, which Justice Joe Fiorucci granted on March 28 at Hamilton's Ontario Court of Justice.
"Some of the steps taken by Mr. Chemin ultimately served to assist the organization in its purpose to commit murder, however Mr. Chemin had no knowledge that his actions were related to murder or any other violent crime," Quinn told the court.
In the months leading up to Barresi's murder, Chemin was hired by a criminal organization to track Barresi's movements, Quinn said. Chemin, who was living in Toronto, drove to Hamilton on two occasions to put tracking devices on Barresi's vehicles — a BMW and then pickup truck.
"The motivation was monetary," Quinn said. "Unknown to Chemin, the organization had decided to carry out the murder of Barresi."
Chemin had no involvement in the planning and wasn't there on the night Barresi was killed, on March 2, 2020, said Quinn.
An assailant was hiding in the shrubs outside Barresi's house, emerging when Barresi got home and exited his truck, said Barresi's best friend Robert Bucciarelli, who read a victim impact statement to the court during Chemin's sentencing.
He was shot multiple times at close range but tried to fight, said Bucciarelli. One of his children heard the "chilling exchange" from inside the house.
Barresi died on the concrete driveway, he said.
"Jamal Chemin, you are pleading guilty to being part of a criminal organization that caused this to happen," Bucciarelli said. "I have and will continue to fight until all those responsible are made to answer for what they have done."
Chemin declined to address the court, except to agree to the claims read aloud by Quinn in the agreed statement of facts.
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