HUNTER: 'Exemplary' cop ensnared in Project South after momentary lapse in judgment
· Toronto Sun
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Call Const. Elias Mouawad collateral damage in the sweeping Project South probe into corruption within the Toronto Police Service.
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On Monday, the 25-year-old was in a University Ave. courtroom pleading guilty to one count of unauthorized use of a computer. A second charge, breach of public trust, was dropped.
Mouawad was one of eight current and former Toronto cops arrested in connection with Project South. He is the second to plead guilty.
But the defense and prosecution took pains to emphasize that Mouawad had nothing to do with Project South. They said there were no envelopes stuffed with cash, no meet-ups with villains in misty parking lots.
Not a penny came his way and, importantly, no harm came from his foolish query.
Momentary lapse in judgment: Lawyer
What Mouawad did was a momentary lapse in judgment. Before joining Toronto Police two years ago, the devout young man worked as a security guard for a man named Daljit Singh.
His old boss had gone to bat for him as a reference when he joined the cops. Mouawad’s lawyer Peter Brauti said the young cop believed Singh was of good character, so after some hesitation he ran a licence plate number for his onetime boss.
What Mouawad did not know about, according to his lawyer, were Singh’s alleged ties to Brian Da Costa, one of the central civilian figures in Project South. That moment of indiscretion has carried staggering consequences.
Brauti told the court that the prosecution was engaged in overkill, using weapons designed for Armageddon to kill a gnat, although the veteran defence lawyer agreed the data breach was serious.
“He’s a first-time offender and of extremely good character,” Brauti said, outlining his client’s stellar police record.
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Born in the United Arab Emirates, Mouawad and his parents fled the Middle Eastern country over religious persecution. Mouawad whole-heartedly embraced his new country (he was in the army cadets), volunteered for the Special Olympics and was eager to fulfil a childhood dream of becoming a cop.
Appointed to 11 Division when that dream came true in 2024, he proved to be staggeringly good at his calling and an “exceptional” cop, as Brauti told the court.
Mouawad answered 1,284 radio calls with 161 arrests and opened a slew of files. His lawyer said his numbers were the highest in his division.
“It was an outstanding service record of 1 1/2 years on the job. His work ethic was second to none and he was dedicated to police work,” Brauti said, adding that Mouawad was financially supporting his parents.
“It was a single mistake.”
Court heard that after he was arrested in February, within four days the young cop was accepting responsibility and offering to help investigators in any way he could. He wanted to plead guilty in February, but that was delayed until Monday.
Is prosecution being ‘extreme?’
Brauti called the Crown’s sentencing demands “extreme.
“If not for Project South , we wouldn’t even be here. The truth is, he is an exemplary cop,” Brauti said, hinting that Toronto Police were behind the overzealous prosecution.
Court heard Mouawad and his family are out at least $75,000 in lost pay and his girlfriend of two years whom he planned to marry dumped him in July over the public pressure. Addressing the court directly, Mouawad’s voice frequently cracked with emotion and he had to stop speaking at times as his sobs filled the room.
Mouawad thanked the judge, Crown prosecutor Samuel Walker and the Project South investigators, along with his family, friends and community.
“I sincerely apologize to everyone, my colleagues, family and friends. I am grateful to everyone who has supported me,” he said. “I always wanted to be someone who could be relied on. Serving others, a positive person.
“For me, policing isn’t just a vocation, it’s a way of life, serving others. I always wanted to be a police officer. I will be a police officer forever. I love to help others.”
‘I sincerely apologize to everyone’
He said that he focused too much on work.
“Not for glory but to help my platoon and the city,” he said. “I showed extremely poor judgement. I have sleepless nights, tears and fear … I have reflected deeply.
“I loved putting on the uniform. It was a privilege I had every day. I just wanted to make a difference in people’s lives.”
The Crown is asking for a four-month conditional sentence (two months of house arrest followed by two months of a midnight to 6 a.m. curfew) followed by 12 months of probation. Brauti is asking for a conditional discharge, which is a finding of guilt but no criminal record is registered as long as conditions are followed.
The judge is expected to deliver a sentence on Oct. 19.
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