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A former Toronto police constable used his position handling lost property at 52 Division to supply “burner phones” to another officer at the centre of a corruption investigation, according to a new court document.
On Tuesday, Const. Derek McCormick pleaded guilty to one count of theft over $5,000 for stealing a cellphone and another count of breach of trust, becoming the first officer charged through Project South to plead guilty.
Project South is a corruption investigation led by York Regional Police that stems from the alleged attempted murder of a Toronto jail guard last summer.
According to an agreed statement of facts, McCormick was “struggling with an addiction to painkillers” last year when he allegedly began to buy them from Const. Timothy Barnhardt.
Barnhardt faces 17 charges, the most of any of the officers accused in the investigation, including offences related to cocaine trafficking and bribery. Police allege the 56-year-old officer gave personal information to a man claimed to be a “key figure” in a criminal network that includes international ties.
The agreed statement of facts alleges McCormick formed a link with Barnhardt when he bought drugs from him and used his position in 52 Division to supply at least one phone from lost and found to him.
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“At no time, in the discussions intercepted by police, did Barnhardt tell McCormick expressly why he wanted cellular phones, except that McCormick understood Barnhardt wanted a ‘burner phone,’” the agreed statement of facts reads.
The facts explain McCormick was allegedly buying painkillers from Barnhardt when he was asked to help him access cellphones.
“McCormick explained that he worked the front desk at 52 division and would receive lost property turned in by members of the public, often cellular phones turned in by Uber drivers that belonged to intoxicated passengers who had left them behind,” the facts continue.
“Barnhardt wanted McCormick to get him a cellular phone.”
The agreed statement of facts says McCormick was willing to get the phone and, in mid-August 2025, texted Barnhardt.
“Don’t worry brother, as soon as I get back to 52 next month, we will get u a bucket nice phone,” McCormick allegedly texted Barnhardt.
As part of Project South, undercover officers were sent to 52 Division in Toronto to hand apparently stolen phones. McCormick allegedly took the phones from the undercover officers, but didn’t hand out a stolen property receipt or log them as part of the lost property system.
The agreed statement of facts says McCormick didn’t know what Barnhardt planned to do with the burner phones, nor did he have deeper links to the alleged plot at the centre of Project South.
McCormick resigned as a police constable in June, while none of the charges against Barnhardt have been proven.
— with files from Global News’ Catherine McDonald
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