Pubdate: Tue, 06 Jul 2004 Source: Packet & Times (CN ON) Copyright: 2004, Osprey Media Group Inc. Contact: http://www.orilliapacket.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2397 Author: Jim Purnell Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?236 (Corruption - Outside U.S.) OPP OFFICER ACCUSED OF LYING Judge Alleges Orillia Man Lied In Court In Major Drug Case A veteran provincial police officer from Orillia was charged Tuesday with two counts of perjury and one count of obstructing justice after the country's national police force investigated allegations that he lied in court during a major drug case. Det. Sgt. John Cavanaugh of the OPP's technical support operations unit was arrested by officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police after he turned himself in at the force's Newmarket detachment. He was released on a recognizance to appear in a Toronto court on Wednesday. At the OPP's request, the RCMP began an investigation last September to look into concerns raised by Justice John Macdonald about Cavanaugh's conduct during a provincewide biker gang investigation in 1996. In its September ruling to drop the drug-related charges against four men, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice said Cavanaugh lied to five judges and destroyed five boxes of evidence in the case involving the Satan's Choice Motorcycle Club. The ruling said Cavanaugh also made several other falsehoods in seeking telephone wiretaps on alleged drug dealers. During the investigation, Cavanaugh, a wiretap expert with 14 years of experience, was reassigned to an administrative post. RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Michele Paradis did not know whether Cavanaugh would continue working for the OPP after charges were laid. She did not want to discuss details of the case that were not included in a brief press release. The Packet & Times was unable to reach an OPP spokesperson at the force's headquarters. Cavanaugh declined comment when reached by The Packet at his Orillia home yesterday. "The OPP opened their organization up to our investigators in order to ensure that all of the allegations could be fully investigated," said RCMP Insp. Don Panchuk in a statement. "These types of investigations require a co-operative effort between law enforcement and the Crown to assure the public of the integrity of our judicial system." - --with files from CP - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin