York Region police officer sentenced to 7.5 years in police corruption sting

A veteran York Region police officer has been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison after being convicted on corruption-related charges last year.

In November 2021, 47-year-old Const. Richard Senior was found guilty of trafficking in controlled substances – cocaine and steroids, possession of a weapon obtained by crime, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, two counts of unauthorized use of a computer and two counts of breach of trust.

Senior is also subject to a 10-year weapons ban, a lifetime ban on restricted/prohibited weapons and must submit his DNA.

Prosecutors had asked for a 12-year prison term, while Senior’s defence had been seeking less than five years.

The arrest came after a 10-month investigation by police started in January 2018. Among other things Senior was accused of conducted several illegitimate searches in a police database, trafficking steroids to another undercover officer posing as his partner, and stealing a police shotgun as part of a plan to rob a fictitious drug warehouse he heard about from the undercover officer acting as an informant.

He was initially charged with 30 offences, though more than half were dropped at the start of the trial.

“This unacceptable criminal behaviour is not tolerated by our organization and my thanks go to the members who investigated this case and the prosecutors who secured the convictions,” said Chief Jim MacSween. “This is not a reflection of the hard-working, dedicated and professional members working each day to keep our community safe.”

Senior, a 16-year member of the police force, had worked uniform patrol in Markham and most recently in the #5 District Community Oriented Response Unit. He had been suspended with pay and under house arrest since October 2018.

Senior is appealing his conviction and is expected to be released on bail until that process is complete.

Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report