An organized hit on a prison official sparked the police corruption and organized crime investigation dubbed Project South, as per court documents revealing suspects using aliases on an encrypted messaging platform to orchestrate the alleged crime. Preceding the supposed murder attempt, individuals purportedly employed the Signal app to exchange personal details and images of the targeted senior corrections officer at Toronto South Detention Centre, whose identity remains shielded by a publication prohibition. These claims were detailed in a legal submission submitted by Crown prosecutors recently in Ontario Superior Court, outlining how intercepted conversations on confiscated cellphones illustrated the involvement of an alleged gun-for-hire network in the planned attack.
The inquiry into Project South commenced in June 2025 after York Regional Police intervened in the supposed assassination plot when the suspects’ vehicle collided with a police car stationed outside the official’s residence. Initially, nearly 30 individuals faced charges in connection with Project South, including seven Toronto police officers and one retired constable. One officer, now retired, recently pleaded guilty, while charges against one civilian were dropped.
Days before law enforcement thwarted the alleged murder scheme, Dequon Lemonious, identified as “Danny Phantom” in the communications, reportedly communicated with Median Jackson, using the moniker “Lebron James,” requesting reconnaissance on an address to confirm the presence of a vehicle. Lemonious allegedly shared a picture of the officer’s location and car, obtained from an unauthorized search of the Ministry of Transportation database, suspected to have been accessed unlawfully by a Toronto police officer.
During the coordination of the purported assassination, Lemonious and Jackson, as asserted by prosecutors, discussed additional criminal activities. Lemonious was said to provide intelligence to Jackson, who would then subcontract the assignments for monetary gain, involving recruitment of other individuals, negotiation of job prices, and profit-sharing arrangements, as per the court records.
Further Signal messages retrieved from the cellphone of another accused person, Devonte Barker-Campbell, operating under the alias “Dwayne Casey,” indicated attempts to hire someone for the job just before the police intervention. Barker-Campbell allegedly forwarded details, including a photo of the officer, location map, and vehicle image, to a Signal user named “Thunder,” who declined the offer. Subsequently, he extended the proposition to another individual identified as “Reality” on Signal.
Reality confirmed readiness to proceed with the task, with preparations in place, including a team of “hitters” set to visit the official’s home. Issues arose during the operation, with Reality’s associates encountering difficulties with a stolen vehicle, leading to their interception by law enforcement at the target’s residence on June 20, where they were found with incriminating evidence.
Almar Heath, Jackson, Lemonious, Barker-Campbell, and two minors faced charges related to the conspiracy to murder the corrections officer. Legal representatives for Heath and Barker-Campbell opted not to comment, while Jackson’s counsel did not respond to inquiries. Lemonious was reportedly unrepresented at the time of contact. Notably, Const. Timothy Barnhardt of the Toronto Police was identified during the investigation as the individual responsible for the unauthorized database search on the corrections officer.
The court documents also revealed incidents involving the suspects casing the officer’s home, including a confrontation with the officer’s grandfather, and subsequent police surveillance leading to arrests. Additionally, a video on Jackson’s phone allegedly depicted discussions related to a restaurant shooting, linking the blue Acura to previous criminal activities, although a different vehicle was used in the actual incident.