Family ties, familiar faces: The connections between 12 men charged in Project Bombard - Action News
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Family ties, familiar faces: The connections between 12 men charged in Project Bombard

If the 12 men swept up by the RNC and RCMP on Wednesday look familiar, it's because many were already known to police. Here's a look at the ties between those arrested, and where they have cropped up before.

Several Viking members and associates have been charged before

Kenneth Kerrivan and Allister Hayley were arrested as part of Operation Raptor in 2012. (CBC)

The RNC and RCMP moved in stepWednesday, sweeping upeight members and twoassociates of the Vikings Motorcycle Club in a series of raids in St. John's and Cupids.

Meanwhile, club members Allan Potter and Daniel Leonard have been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Dale Porter.

If any of these men seem familiar, that could be becausemany were already known to police.

No strangers to the court room, some havebeen joined by previous criminal enterprises, while others are bonded by blood.

All in the Leonardfamily

First up is Leonardwho, along with Potter, fetched the most serious charge ofsecond-degree murder.

Back in a 2014 RCMP affidavit,Leonard and Potter werenamed assuspectsin the case.At the time,Potter was arrested briefly while Leonard remained free until Wednesday afternoon.

Vincent Leonard Sr. (left), and Vincent Leonard Jr., were arrested in September, 2016. (Ted Dillon/CBC)

Leonard's father, Vincent, is charged with trafficking cocaine andtemazepam. Daniel Leonard'sbrother, VincentJr., isalso charged with trafficking cocaine.

A fourth Leonard,Shane, is charged with conspiring to traffic oxycodone. His relation to the other three men is not yet known.

Daniel Leonard has prior convictions of assault and mischief, in 2001 and 2006respectively. His father, meanwhile, has a list of 33priors, starting with seven convictions for breaking and entering in 1982.

On Friday,Shane and Vincent Thomas Leonard were each released on $15,000 bail.Theyare both due back in provincial court onNov. 16.

James Curran

A resident ofCupid's Crossing, JamesCurranwas arrested on March 22 in the Trinity-Conception area. He was charged with possession of hydromorphinol and carrying a handgun. His lawyer, Bob Buckingham, said thosecharges were later withdrawn by provincial and federal prosecutors.

James Curran, seen here during a court appearance earlier this year, is charged with trafficking heroin and fentanyl. (CBC)

Buckinghamsaid his clientpossessed a few dozen pills and the handgun was a wooden replica.

Curranis now facing charges of trafficking heroin and fentanyl, as well asparticipating in the activities of a criminal organization.

Following Wednesday's raid, residents near the Vikingsclubhouse inCupids identified Curran as the owner of the property. Due to health conditions, Curran did not appear in court with the others and has until Oct.7to turn himself in.

Buckingham told CBC arrangements to surrenderwere being made.

Curranhas a record, with four impaired driving convictions between 1982 and 1997. He was also found guilty ofdamaging property and causing a disturbance in the early '80s.

Wayne Johnson

Johnson popped up in the 2015 assault trial of Allan Potter when he and other Vikings members sat in the back of the courtroom. It wasa move the Crown alleged was an attempt to intimidate witnesses.

Johnson is perhaps better known as a serial drunk driver, and the mechanic who falsified a safety inspection certificate for a Pontiac Grand Prixthe day before it was involvedin a fatal accident in 2009.

Wayne Johnson was last arrested in 2011 (left) and sentenced to 11 months in jail for the 50th conviction of his life. He was back in court Thursday (right) after being picked up in Project Bombard. (Ted Dillon/CBC)

Lawyers for both sides agreed Johnson was not to blame for the death of 23-year-old Kayla Reid. However, the carhad several problems that should have warranted a failed inspection, some of which influenced the vehicle's steering. He was also charged with driving while being disqualified.

Two years after the accident, Johnson was convicted and sentenced to 11 months in prison, largelydue to hisstaggering 11 previousimpaired driving convictions and 12 previous convictions for driving while disqualified.

Johnson leads the Project Bombard pack with 50 prior convictions.

He now faces charges oftrafficking cocaine and participating in the activities of a criminal organization.

Kenneth Kerrivan and Allister Hayley

KennethKerrivanandAllisterHayleywere first bonded by the criminal justice system in 2012, when both men wereswept up in Operation Raptor.

Both were charged withtrafficking in a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.

Allister Hayley is no stranger to the criminal justice system. He was arrested for cocaine trafficking during Operation Raptor in 2012 (left). He was charged with trafficking oxycodone and appeared in court on Thursday (right).

Kerrivan and Hayleywere two of eight people caught in the 2012cocaine trafficking ring that sawRNC crashlocations on Cabot Street and Vail Place.

Both now face charges of conspiring to traffic oxycodone andparticipating in the activities of a criminal organization.

Kenneth Kerrivan, 53, is led into provincial court in St. John's on Thursday. (Ted Dillon/CBC)