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Niagara police arrest Toronto man carrying loaded firearm, drugs

Suspect, 26, tried to flee police in vehicle, and then on foot before his arrest
Niagara-on-the-Lake Local Staff
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Items police say they seized after arrest of suspect in St. CatharinesPhoto supplied by Niagara Regional Police

Niagara Regional Police say a Toronto man has been arrested while in possession of a loaded firearm and drugs and faces a long list of charges.

On Tuesday at around 12:45 p.m., Street Crime detectives were in the area of Gale Crescent and Riordon Street in St. Catharines conducting an investigation when they observed an unrelated grey Chevrolet sedan suspected to be involved in the sale of illegal drugs.

The Chevrolet travelled to Niagara Falls, where Street Crime Unit detectives became involved in the investigation.

Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop using a marked police cruiser in the area of River Road and Bridge Street, police said in a news release.

The Chevrolet did not stop and accelerated at high speed away from the officers, police say, adding officers did not pursue the Chevrolet.

A brief time later detectives found the Chevrolet in a St. Catharines parking lot in the area of Glendale Avenue and the 406 Highway. 

They waited till the suspect was on foot and tried to arrest him. The suspect ran and after a short foot pursuit, at 3:30 p.m. the suspect was placed under arrest.

Police say detectives seized the following:

  • Loaded Black 9mm Handgun (8 bullets, including some hollow point)
  • 67 grams of Fentanyl
  • 9.5 grams of Cocaine
  • 29.7 grams of Crystal Methamphetamine
  • 148.8 grams of cutting agent
  • Drug paraphernalia
  • 4 working cell phones

Rahiem Nesbeth, 26, of Toronto was arrested and charged with:

  • Possession firearm without holding a licence
  • Unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle
  • Careless storage of firearm
  • Possession restricted firearm with ammunition
  • Possession restricted firearm knowing not holding a licence
  • Possession of proceeds of crime under $5000
  • Flight from police
  • Possession of schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking. (Crystal Methamphetamine)
  • Possession of schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking. (Fentanyl)
  • Possession of schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking. (Cocaine)
  • Traffic in a schedule I substance. (Cocaine)
  • Traffic in a schedule I substance. (Fentanyl)

Nesbeth was held in custody pending a video bail hearing at the Robert S. K. Welch Courthouse in St. Catharines.

None of the allegations have been tested in court and Nesbeth is considered innocent unless proven guilty.