A court document reveals that the alleged plot to harm a prison official, which sparked the investigation into police corruption and organized crime known as Project South, involved suspects hiring individuals under fake names through an encrypted messaging app. The suspects reportedly used the Signal app to exchange personal details and images of the target, a senior corrections officer at Toronto South Detention Centre. This information was disclosed in a factum submitted by Crown prosecutors in Ontario Superior Court, detailing intercepted conversations on seized cellphones that suggest an illicit gun-for-hire network was behind the attempted attack.
The investigation into Project South was initiated in June 2025 after York Regional Police intervened in the foiled assassination attempt, which resulted in a collision between the suspect vehicle and a police car stationed outside the officer’s residence. Initially, close to 30 individuals, including seven Toronto police officers and a retired constable, were charged in connection with Project South. One officer has since pleaded guilty, while another individual’s charges were dropped.
Days before the planned assault, Dequon Lemonious, who allegedly used the alias “Danny Phantom” on Signal, communicated with Median Jackson, known as “Lebron James,” about scoping out the target’s address. Lemonious shared a photo of the officer’s location and vehicle, reportedly obtained through an unauthorized search of the Ministry of Transportation database by a Toronto police officer. Lemonious messaged Jackson, indicating the need for a hit squad upon confirming the officer’s presence.
Subsequently, discussions between Lemonious and Jackson on potential assignments and recruitment of accomplices were uncovered. Lemonious would reportedly provide information to Jackson, who would then subcontract the tasks to others for financial gain. Meanwhile, another suspect, Devonte Barker-Campbell, using the alias “Dwayne Casey,” reached out to Signal users “Thunder” and “Reality” regarding the same hit job, with the latter expressing readiness to proceed.
The court document further reveals that Barker-Campbell coordinated a team of “hitters” to carry out the attack at the officer’s home, with logistical issues arising due to a stolen vehicle. Prosecutors allege that the intercepted vehicle, a blue Acura, was intercepted by authorities at the scene, containing Almar Heath, two unidentified youths, a loaded firearm, and incriminating evidence linking them to the planned crime.
Heath, Jackson, Lemonious, Barker-Campbell, and the two youths face charges of conspiracy to murder the corrections officer, pending trial proceedings. Legal representatives for Heath and Barker-Campbell declined to comment, while no response was received from Jackson’s counsel. Lemonious is currently unrepresented. Additionally, the investigation identified Const. Timothy Barnhardt as the Toronto officer responsible for accessing the officer’s confidential information unlawfully.
The court filing also mentions incidents involving the blue Acura near the officer’s residence, including a confrontation with the officer’s grandfather and subsequent police surveillance leading to arrests. Moreover, a video on Jackson’s phone allegedly shows discussions regarding a prior shooting incident at a restaurant, where the blue Acura was intended for use but was replaced due to technical issues.
