Metropolitan
Toronto Police
Intra-Departmental
correspondence
Inspector Roy
Soplet
I/c General
Assignment Squad
Tuesday, May 7th,
1974
At about 11pm,
Wednesday, April 17, 1974, a security guard at 330 University Avenue
found two men in the premises and notified the police. Members of the 52
Division attended and the two men were taken into custody. At the time
of the arrest a set of lock picks were seized. The arrested persons were
Michael William CHORNOPESKY, 21 years, of X Hazelton Avenue, apartment
#X and Allen COULSON @ Keith SUMMERFIELD, 30 years, of X Hazelton
Aveneue, apartment #X. This occurrence was investigated by Sargeant
Beckett, #1027 and Sargeant Yeandle, #1857 of Number 52 Division.
Michael CHORNOPESKY gave the officers a statement in which he stated
that the lock picks had been made by himself from pieces of bicycle
spokes. He further stated that both men were in the premises of 330
University Avenue for the purposes of entering the offices of Weir and
Foulds, barristers and solicitors, situated on the sixth floor. A search
of the premises at X Hazelton Avenue, apartment X, was conducted by the
investigating officers. During the search the officers found two
"E" meters and a considerable amount of printed material from
the Church of Scientology. Neither of the arrested men made any
references to the Church of Scientology during the investigation but
Michael CHORNOPESKY stated that the reason they were going to enter the
lawyers offices was to obtain some files
Page 2
from the office
records. Further investigations revealed that solicitor Mr. A. McN.
Austin has an office in this suite. Mr. Austin is acting for the McLean
family, defending them in an action brought against themselves and
others by the Church of Scientology. Mr. Austin was retaining a quantity
of documentary files of the McLean family which were to be used in the
defense against the Church of Scientology and also a civil action
contemplated by the McLean family against the Church. As a result of the
above information, it was assumed that the two arrested men were in fact
scientologists and were attempting to get the McLean file. As soon as
Mr. Austin became aware of this fact, he contacted the solicitor
representing each other individual named in the Church of Scientology
action so they could take measures to safeguard their files. Mr. Rust-D’Eye,
the City solicitor representing my interests in the matter was contacted
by one of the other solicitors and contacted me and advised me
accordingly. Mr. Sidney KATZ of the Toronto Daily Star is also named in
the action and the lawyer representing him was advised of the
occurrence. No doubt this is how Mr. John Saunders of the Toronto Daily
Star first became aware of the two men being arrested. Mr. Saunders
contacted me by telephone at about 2.00 p.m., Thursday, April 18, 1974,
to make enquiries about the entries and arrests. I advised him that I
was not familiar with this matter as I was not involved but that the
occurrence having taken place at the address Mr. Saunders supplied,
would have been investigation by officers of Number 52 Division.
Page 3
As a result of
information received from Sergeant Beckett of number 52 division
investigation office, I attended the Old City Hall at about 9.30 a.m.,
Thursday, April 25, 1974, where Michael William CHORNOPESKY and Alan
COULSON were pointed out to me in the corridor outside 21 Court. I did
not recognize either of the men.
After their court
appearance Sergeant Beckett spoke with them in the corridor and they
accompanied him to the Old City Hall investigative office. I had no
contact with them until I spoke with them in the investigative office. I
put a number of questions to them relevant to Scientology but they
declined to answer any of the questions.
I then asked Mr.
Coulson to locate Mr. Harvey Daiter and advised him that I wished to
speak with him about the possibility of additional charges being laid
against the two men. Mr. CHORNOPESKY remained with Sergeant Beckett and
myself at the investigative office while Mr. Coulson left in search of
Mr. Daiter.
Mr. Coulson and
Mr. Daiter returned to the office shortly after, at which time I advised
Mr. Daiter that consideration was being give to laying on additional
charge of conspiracy to commit indictable offence against his two
clients. At this time Mr. Daiter inquired whether the two men were under
arrest on this charge and was advised that they were not and that the
charge was only being considered at this time. Mr. Daiter advised the
two clients to leave, which they did.
Page 4
After a brief
conversation with Mr. Daiter I left the Old City Hall in company with
Sergeant Beckett.
Apparently the
Number 52 Division investigating officers spoke to Mr. Rickaby, the
assistant crown attorney about this occurrence and the fact that the two
accused were presumed to be scientologists after the McLean files. Since
I had previously consulted Mr. Rickaby for advise concerning other
material relating to the Church of Scientology, he advised Sergeant
Beckett to contact me and arranged for a meeting at his office to be
attended by the number 52 division officers and myself on Thursday,
April 25, 1974. Mr. Rickaby was considering the possibility of laying an
additional charge of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence against
the two accused and including the senior officials of the Church of
Scientology who would normally direct the actions of the two already
arrested. Mr. Rickaby has this matter under consideration at this time.
I met Mr. Harvey Daiter in the Old City Hall corridor the same date and
he was aware of the meeting and wanted to know what was going to happen.
I advised him that Mr. Rickaby had the matter under consideration and I
did not know what his decision might be. Mr. Daiter called me by
telephone at the office again on Monday, April 29, 1974, and asked if
any decision had been reached as to any further charges being laid. He
was advised that Mr. Rickaby still had the matter under consideration. I
had been told by Mr. Rust-D’Eye, the City solicitor that Mr. Daiter
was not representing the Church of Scientology in any future matters.
Page 5
When I met Mr.
Daiter in the Old City Hall corridor, I mentioned this fact to him and
he replied that the information was correct. I then asked him that if
that was so, how did he get involved with the two accused men. He
replied that they had been sent to him by the Church of Scientology,
that whenever something of importance took place, the church always took
the matter to his office.
When Sergeant
Beckett and Sergeant Yeandle found this scientology matter in the home
of the two accused men, they contacted me to ascertain whether the
accused were known to me. I advised them that I did not know either of
the accused but since I was familiar with senior members of the Church
of Scientology, I would make an inquiry on their behalf. I attended at
the Church of Scientology and spoke with Mr. Brian Levman and Mr. Gary
Jepson and asked if either or both the accused were members of the
church and would have rightful possession of the material found on their
premises or whether he had any report of theft of such material. Mr.
Levman left and said he would check his records for the information. He
returned a short time later and stated that neither of the two accused
were members of that church and that they were not known to himself or
Mr. Jepson. He also stated that he had no report of the theft of the
property. Since that time, I have learned that both men are members of
the Church of Scientology and have seen documents bearing their names
under the hand of Mr. Brian Levman of the Church of Scientology. These
documents were published by the church. I have also learned
Page 6
That the two
accused men are members of the guardian group of the church. The
guardian office is an ethics branch of the organization which police
activition (sp) of and against the Church of Scientology. The guardian
office is directly under control of Guardian Officer, Mr. Brian Levman,
who is also head of all the Churches of Scientology in Canada. Mr.
Jepson is president or head of the Church of Scientology in Toronto.
It is obvious to
myself that Mr. Levman in denying knowledge of the two accused men is
endeavouring (sp) to protect the interests of the Church of Scientology
but at the same time is furnishing a solicitor to defend the two
accused.
Respectfully
submitted,
John Fallis
Staff Sergeant
#4828
General Assignment
Squad
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