Gaetan Bradette, a close confidant of Steven Bertrand and late Hells Angels warrior leader Maurice Boucher who was sentenced to 45 months in prison for drug trafficking, says he regrets dragging his sons into crime.
Posted at 3:26 p.m.
Bradette, 62, a car rental manager, has been viewed by police as a key player in drug sales in Montreal’s Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighborhood for decades.
Following the murder of a 38-year-old man, Bardia Gorji, in 2020, Major Crimes investigators, with the assistance of their colleagues from the SPVM’s Organized Crime Unit (DCO), launched an extensive investigation called Maculé, targeting one of Bradette’s sons, Tommy, judged and other people.
But the wiretapping also led investigators to Gaetan Bradette and his other son Francis, who were involved in the cocaine trade.
Tommy Bradette was sentenced to 16 years in prison for the involuntary manslaughter of Bardia Gorji, and Francis pleaded guilty to conspiracy and drug trafficking and will be sentenced at a later date.
Speaking before the parole officers on Tuesday about his family situation, Gaetan Bradette requested his full or partial release (in a review).
“ […] The commitment of your loved ones, especially your sons, had a significant impact on your family and contributed to the weakening of several people. […] that have nothing to do with your crime. What’s more, you insisted that one of your sons was recently sentenced to a long prison sentence. “Consequently, you consider that you made a significant error in involving your relatives, which, in your opinion, is now very off-putting when you feel responsible for the situation,” the commissioners wrote in a 12-page decision.
A “perfect” life
While early in his incarceration, Gaetan Bradette described his crimes as “mistakes” and his life before his arrest as “perfection,” he subsequently made significant progress in prison, say commissioners, who agreed to send him to a halfway house. but refused to grant him full parole.
“There is no doubt that your criminality is characterized by a very structured level of organization. The structure of the organization, the way it works, your network of contacts with influential members of organized crime are all elements that illustrate the strong anchoring of your criminal values and their scope. The crimes that earned you the current sentence have all of these characteristics, even though you were considered the leader of the criminal network for which you worked,” the commissioners continue.
They impose strict conditions on him for the duration of his partial release, but also with a view to his future release (after two thirds of his sentence).
Therefore, Bradette is not allowed to be self-employed or run a business, is not allowed to associate with a person he knows is involved in criminal activities or organizations, is not allowed to have more than one cell phone and one SIM card. He must disclose all communications, exchanges and searches conducted with his device out, must disclose all of his financial transactions and must disclose all relationships with a woman.
During the Maculé investigation, police intercepted more than 82,000 communications (calls and text messages), conducted 162 physical surveillances, executed 220 court authorizations, conducted multiple infiltration scenarios with double agents, and seized four kilograms of cocaine and $250,000.
To contact Daniel Renaud, call 514 285-7000, extension 4918, write to [email protected] or write to La Presse’s mailing address.