Toronto continues to be plagued by gun violence and a substance abuse crisis, attributable to individuals such as Karson Benjamin, prosecutors say, who trafficked 27 firearms and half a kilogram of fentanyl, receiving $179,400 in payment.
Justice Maureen Forestell sentenced Benjamin to 13 years in a federal penitentiary, following Crown attorney Erin Pancer’s presentation of grim statistics: Toronto has experienced 219 shootings and firearm discharges in 2024, leading to 55 injuries and 22 deaths.