Crown drops fraud charges against Bolton man
Charges stem from 2023, 2024 allegations man defrauded Wellington North quarry operator
GUELPH – Charges against a Bolton man accused of defrauding a Wellington North quarry have been dropped.
Larry Pevato was charged by the Wellington OPP in November with two counts of fraud over $5,000, related to allegations dating back to 2023 and 2024.
Police alleged Pevato defrauded the quarry of $43,586 by under-reporting sales records.
“The accused entered into an agreement with the business to excavate and sell materials from the property. In return, the business would receive royalties,” police stated on Nov. 6.
Police said “several truckloads of material were unaccounted for, and the corresponding royalties were not received.”
Charges were withdrawn at the Crown’s request in Guelph court on March 6.
The Ministry of the Attorney General, which oversees prosecutors, did not provide an answer as to why other than to say charges are dropped when there’s no prospect of conviction or if it’s deemed prosecution is not in the public’s interest.
Pevato’s defence lawyer John Sotirakos said the Crown’s office reviewed its case and backed off.
“In my legal opinion, I don’t believe these charges of fraud should ever have been laid,” Sotirakos said.
