Craig Ruthowsky, Hamilton cop arrested in Toronto gang bust, gets bail

Craig Ruthowsky, a Hamilton police officerwho was arrested in a gang bust by Toronto police, was released on bailFriday.

The conditions of the bail areunder a publication ban.

Ruthowsky, 41, a former guns and gangs squad officerwas originally arrestedJune 4oncharges related to allegations of cocaine trafficking and aiding a gang which stem from incidents alleged to have happened while he was on paid suspension.

During his time in custody,two additional charges were laid against him ofbribery and obstruction of justice.

He was first denied bail onJune 9, but had the decision reversed in Superior Court after a two day hearing.

Ruthowsky is facing the following charges:

• Bribery
• Obstruct justice
• Breach of trust
• Conspiracy to commit an indictable (traffic cocaine)
• Participate in activities of a criminal organization
• Commission of an indictable offence for a criminal organization

The new charges were laid after his original arrest but it's not clear when the incidentsthat led to the new chargesare alleged to have happened.

Ruthowsky's wife Christine Ruthowsky who is herself a long serving member ofthe Hamilton Police Service declined to comment when approached by CBC Hamilton.

• Read More:Hamilton cop Craig Ruthowsky, charged in gang raids, has bail hearing

Toronto criminal defense lawyer Greg Lafontaine, who has also been retained byRuthowsky, joined Ruthowsky's lawyer, Bernard Cummins, Thursday.

The details of Ruthowsky's bail review, and the two-day initial bail hearing fromJune 8 to 9, are under a publication ban.

Ruthowsky was arrested when Toronto Police executed 50 search warrants acrossthe GTHA. The series of coordinated dawn arrests on June 4 gather up 45individuals who were facing a combined 379 charges.

The year-and-a-half long investigation, called Project Pharaoh,focused on a Toronto gang, the Monstarz,which operates primarily in northwestern Toronto, according to police.

Ruthowsky is a 17-year veteran of the police service, hadbeen suspended with paysince June 2012 because of unrelated, but similar, charges laid under the OntarioPolice Act. He is no longer suspended.