Ernie Dew, the former president of the Manitoba Hells Angels, filed a lawsuit Dec. 23 against the provincial government's criminal property forfeiture unit. (QMI Agency Files)
WINNIPEG — The former president of the Manitoba Hells Angels is suing the provincial government because he says it seized and sold his house as proceeds of crime before his drug trafficking trial was even finished.
Ernie Dew filed a lawsuit Dec. 23 against the government's criminal property forfeiture unit, arguing his house was wrongfully seized because he was eventually acquitted of the one cocaine trafficking charge that directly related to the property.
The statement of claims says the seizure and sale of the house was "a reckless, wanton and egregious disregard" of his rights.
None of Dew's allegations have been proven in court.
The former biker gang president, who is currently serving jail time for three other cocaine trafficking convictions, was among 13 people arrested in a huge sweep in February 2006.
Dew was accused of four separate drug deals that took place between November 2004 and September 2005. He was found guilty last April of perpetrating three of the four deals, following a lengthy court process that included several appeals, motions and a mistrial.
However, Dew was acquitted of a September 2005 deal — known as "Deal #4" in his case — because he was not present at the time.l
That deal saw Hells associate Jerome Labossiere exchange a kilogram of cocaine with Dew's wife Vera at the Dews' home while Ernie Dew was away hunting.
None of the three deals Dew was convicted of took place at his home. He is therefore suing the government for "conversion, trespass to chattels, unjust enrichment, misfeasance of public office, negligence."
The criminal property forfeiture unit, which also seized the Hells Angels clubhouse a few years ago, is allowed to seize and sell property considered proceeds of crime or real estate it can prove was being used for criminal purposes.
The government has yet to file a statement of defence with respect to Dew's suit.
paul.turenne©sunmedia.ca
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/national/2012/01/03/19196016.html
None of the three deals Dew was convicted of took place at his home. He is therefore suing the government for "conversion, trespass to chattels, unjust enrichment, misfeasance of public office, negligence."
The criminal property forfeiture unit, which also seized the Hells Angels clubhouse a few years ago, is allowed to seize and sell property considered proceeds of crime or real estate it can prove was being used for criminal purposes.
The government has yet to file a statement of defence with respect to Dew's suit.
paul.turenne©sunmedia.ca
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/national/2012/01/03/19196016.html