Prison for Cornwall handgun trafficker

A handgun with is among some of the articles shown May 28, 2015 following a multi-police force investigation called Project Harden. The investigation culminated May 27, 2015 with the arrests of eight people. (Cornwall Newswatch/Bill Kingston, File)

CORNWALL – The principal in a handgun trafficking ring, running out of a downtown restaurant and a city home, will be spending roughly five-and-a-half years in prison.

Pierre Nassif, 40, of South Glengarry was found guilty and sentenced last week on various weapon and drug-related charges.

Nassif was convicted of trafficking in cocaine and possession for the purpose of trafficking in cocaine. The most serious charge of trafficking resulted in a 3.5 year prison sentence.

As for the weapons-related charges, he was found guilty on nine separate counts. The charges of transferring weapons, including a silencer and ammunition, netted a four year consecutive sentence to the drug convictions.

Because he was in pretrial custody for 488 days, Nassif was given credit for time served at 1.5-to-one, which amounts to roughly two years credit.

The balance of the 17 charges were withdrawn at the request of the Crown.

Nassif was among eight people charged in the spring of 2015 after a massive multi-police force crackdown, dubbed Project Harden. Officers raided a home near St. Lawrence College and a restaurant on Pitt Street on May 27, 2015.

Click on the Project Harden tag below for updates on the cases of the other accused and those convicted in the handgun trafficking ring.