Bail Hearings Underway For Defendants In Duhamel Robbery
In a Canadian court yesterday, three of the four defendants in the Jonathan Duhamel robbery had their day before the judge as evidence of their complicity in the crime was detailed.
During a bail hearing in Longueuil, Quebec yesterday, the three defendants – Bianca Rojas Latraverse (allegedly the former girlfriend of Duhamel), John Stephan Clark Lemay and Anthony Bourque – faced Quebec Court Judge Pierre Belisle as the Longueuil police presented their evidence to the Court. According to Detective Jean Francois Lapolice, Duhamel had told investigators after the robbery that he believed his former girlfriend was involved as the two men had intimate knowledge of his condo. This knowledge included that he had a safe in the condo that Jonathan was forced to open after allegedly being beaten by Lemay and Bourque.
For the first time, details of what was actually taken from Duhamel were revealed by Canadian authorities. Duhamel’s World Series of Poker Championship Bracelet was perhaps the biggest item, but a Rolex Submariner that was given to him by PokerStars to commemorate his World Championship victory was also stolen. Along with these two pieces of memorabilia, $40,000 Canadian and €74,000 were also taken from the safe.
Further investigation by the Longueuil authorities allegedly reveals that Rojas Latraverse was the instigator of the crime. During the hearing, two witnesses who were not named indicate that Rojas Latraverse stated that she wanted to rob Duhamel three weeks prior to the incident. Although the witness stated that she didn’t take the threat seriously and believed that Rojas Latraverse was joking, a text message sent by Rojas Latraverse during the early morning hours of December 21 changed her mind.
One of the alleged text messages from Rojas Latraverse was sent at 2AM and stated, “Tomorrow at 10 think of me (the alleged robbery took place at roughly 9:15AM the morning of the 21st).” In the ongoing discussion, the witness was able to draw more information out of Rojas Latraverse, including a text that read, “Everything is planned. We even have a driver if I choke.”
After her arrest on December 23, Rojas Latraverse allegedly admitted sending the text messages and planning the robbery. She also named her fellow defendants, Lemay and Bourque, as her accomplices.
The Longueuil police investigation continued until they were able to apprehend Lemay and Bourque. Acting on a tip from an unnamed witness on December 26, the police found Lemay in a Pointe Claire hotel, allegedly with a large amount of cash that was stolen in the robbery. He was arrested at that time, along with Bourque and Andre Perron, who was actually in possession of the Rolex.
According to the Montreal Gazette, Rojas Latraverse seemed unmoved by the evidence that police presented to the court. The Gazette reports that Rojas Latraverse “sat passively in the prisoner’s dock of the courtroom” and only raised her eyebrows a few times as the evidence was presented. It is believed that Duhamel and Rojas Latraverse dated for approximately six months and that their breakup was amicable, according to Jonathan.
Rojas Latraverse has been charged with five crimes, including conspiracy, while Lemay faces seven counts and Bourque eight. Perron has been charged with being in possession of stolen property and is out on bail with a court date of May 7. Rojas Latraverse has pled not guilty to the charges.
The bail hearing continues today for the three defendants in the case. Duhamel is not expected to testify during this hearing; instead of being in the court, Jonathan is in the Bahamas for the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, playing in the $100,000 Super High Roller event that starts today.
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Poker dictionary:
- BICYCLE - The best possible low hand: A-2-3-4-5. More common term: WHEEL.
- BOARD - The exposed cards in Hold'em and stud. Also BOARD CARDS.
- FREE CARD - A card dealt after all players checked in a betting round.
- HOYLE - Edmund Hoyle (1769-?) was the authoritative source for rules of card games. Hoyle is to card rules as Webster is to word definitions.
- BAD GAME - Any game in which you figure to be the loser, because the other players are better than you.
- BURN - To discard the top card of the deck prior to dealing, usually done for every dealing round except the first. The theory being that if somehow the cards are marked (illegally) no one will know what card will next be dealt, only what card will be burned. This makes marked cards less of an advantage, hence tends to reduce cheating.
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