A court document reveals that the alleged plot to target a prison official, which sparked the police corruption and organized crime investigation known as Project South, was orchestrated by individuals using fake identities on an encrypted messaging platform. Prior to the purported murder attempt, the suspects reportedly communicated via the Signal app to exchange personal details and photos of the victim, a high-ranking corrections officer at the Toronto South Detention Centre. These details were disclosed in a legal brief submitted by Crown prosecutors in the Ontario Superior Court, citing conversations found on confiscated cellphones that suggest a network linked to contract killings was involved in the alleged attack.
The Project South probe was initiated in June 2025 following an incident where York Regional Police intervened in the suspected assassination plan when the suspects’ vehicle collided with a police car stationed outside the official’s residence.
Initially, nearly 30 individuals, including seven active Toronto police officers and one retired constable, faced charges in connection with Project South. One officer has since pleaded guilty, while another individual’s charge has been dropped.
The court documents describe conversations between Dequon Lemonious, allegedly using the moniker “Danny Phantom,” and Median Jackson, known as “Lebron James,” discussing the need for someone to verify the presence of a specific vehicle at an address. Lemonious reportedly shared a photo of the official’s residence and car, obtained through an unauthorized search of the Ministry of Transportation’s database, which was believed to be facilitated by a Toronto police officer.
The allegations suggest that Lemonious and Jackson discussed recruiting others for criminal activities in exchange for payment. Additionally, another individual, Devonte Barker-Campbell, operating under the pseudonym “Dwayne Casey,” was identified in Signal messages planning the hit on the prison official but was turned down by one associate before offering the job to another contact named “Reality.”
According to the court records, Reality confirmed readiness to proceed with the plan, arranging for a group of individuals to carry out the attack at the official’s home. The factum further details the involvement of Almar Heath, two unnamed youths, and the discovery of incriminating evidence inside the intercepted vehicle during the police operation.
Charges of conspiracy to murder the corrections officer have been leveled against Heath, Jackson, Lemonious, Barker-Campbell, and the two juveniles, although none of the accusations have been tested in court.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Toronto police Const. Timothy Barnhardt unlawfully accessed the official’s information on the MTO database. Barnhardt’s legal team has indicated their intention to address the allegations in court.
The court filings also mention an incident where the suspects’ vehicle was spotted near the official’s residence days before the planned attack, including a confrontation with the victim’s grandfather and subsequent police surveillance leading to arrests.
Furthermore, video evidence on Jackson’s phone reportedly shows discussions related to a previous shooting incident at a restaurant involving the same blue Acura, indicating a potential link to additional criminal activities beyond the murder plot.
