By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi & Emmanuel Ayiku for GhanaianNewsCanada
5 October 2026
Two members of the Canadian Armed Forces stationed in Toronto have been arrested and charged in connection with an investigation involving organized crime, kidnapping and the alleged theft of firearms and weapons, the Department of National Defence has confirmed.
The two men, Sachintha Fernando and James Moreau, are members of the 7th Toronto Regiment, a Canadian Army reserve unit based at Moss Park Armoury in Toronto.
According to the Department of National Defence, Toronto police arrested both men on August 11, 2026.
The military has since removed the two reservists from their military duties and restricted their access to Canadian Armed Forces equipment, facilities and bases while the case proceeds.
The charges have not resulted in their immediate discharge from the military. DND says both men remain members of the Canadian Armed Forces while an administrative review is conducted.
Who Are the Two Reservists?
Fernando and Moreau both hold the rank of bombardier, a rank used in the Canadian Army’s artillery branch and broadly equivalent to the rank of corporal.
DND provided information about their military backgrounds while declining to release details about the allegations underlying the criminal charges.
Sachintha Fernando joined the Canadian Army Reserve in January 2020. The department says he has not been deployed on a Canadian Armed Forces operation.
James Moreau enrolled as a reservist in March 2018 and was deployed in 2020 as part of Operation LASER, the Canadian Armed Forces’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The department has not suggested that either man’s previous military service was connected to the allegations now being investigated.
What Charges Are They Facing?
The Department of National Defence says the arrests relate to charges involving organized crime, kidnapping and the theft of firearms and weapons.
However, the department has not provided further details about the specific allegations or the circumstances that led to the arrests.
Instead, DND directed questions about the criminal investigation to the Toronto Police Service, which is handling the case.
Toronto police had not provided additional details in the reports available on October 5.
The lack of publicly released information means it is not yet clear what role investigators allege each reservist played, whether the allegations are connected to a single incident or broader criminal activity, or whether additional people are being investigated.
Those details may become clearer as the police investigation and court proceedings progress.
Military Duties Suspended After Arrests
Following the arrests, the Canadian Armed Forces took administrative steps against both men.
DND confirmed that Fernando and Moreau were removed from military duties and that their access to CAF equipment, facilities and bases was restricted.
The measures mean that although they technically remain members of the Canadian Armed Forces, they are not currently performing their normal military responsibilities.
The department said an administrative review is underway to determine whether the circumstances surrounding the case could affect their continued service.
DND emphasized that the administrative process is intended to provide procedural fairness while the matter is assessed.
Criminal Case and Military Review Are Separate Processes
The situation illustrates the distinction between a civilian criminal investigation and an internal military administrative process.
The Toronto Police Service is investigating the criminal allegations, while the Canadian Armed Forces is conducting its own administrative review concerning the men’s status in the military.
A criminal charge is not the same as a criminal conviction.
The allegations against Fernando and Moreau remain allegations unless and until they are proven in court. Their continued membership in the Armed Forces also does not mean the military has determined that they committed the alleged offences.
DND’s decision to restrict their military access while the investigation continues is an administrative measure rather than a declaration of guilt.
Canadian Army Supporting Toronto Police Investigation
The Department of National Defence says the Canadian Army is supporting the Toronto Police Service’s ongoing investigation.
That cooperation is particularly relevant because the accused are members of a military organization and may have had access to military facilities and equipment.
However, DND has not indicated that military weapons or equipment were involved in the alleged offences.
The department has also not publicly connected the allegations to either man’s military duties.
The investigation remains under civilian police jurisdiction for the criminal allegations described by DND.
What Is the 7th Toronto Regiment?
The 7th Toronto Regiment is a Canadian Army Reserve unit based at Moss Park Armoury in downtown Toronto.
Reservists generally maintain civilian careers or studies while undertaking military training and can be called upon for Canadian Armed Forces operations when required.
The unit forms part of Canada’s Army Reserve structure and provides trained personnel who can support the Canadian Armed Forces in domestic and overseas operations.
The fact that Fernando and Moreau are reservists is therefore important context: their military service exists alongside their civilian lives, and the criminal allegations are being investigated through the civilian justice system.
What Happens Next?
The immediate focus will be on the Toronto Police Service investigation and the court process involving the two accused.
At the same time, the Canadian Armed Forces will continue its administrative review to determine whether the circumstances affect their eligibility to remain in service.
For now, DND says both men remain members of the Armed Forces, but they have been removed from military duties and restricted from accessing military facilities and equipment.
Further information about the allegations could emerge through police statements, court proceedings or future disclosures by the Department of National Defence.
The case also highlights the procedures available to the Canadian military when a serving member becomes the subject of serious criminal allegations.
For Fernando and Moreau, however, the criminal case remains unresolved. They are entitled to due process, and the allegations against them should not be treated as established facts unless proven in court.
