Judge rejects bail for Salvatore Cazzetta

Quebec Court Judge Éric Downs rejected a bail motion from Salvatore Cazzetta’s lawyers, claiming that releasing the 62-year-old would undermine public trust in the judiciary system. Downs also said the motion didn’t meet the burden of proof required to outweigh potential security risks associated with releasing the accused. Cazzetta was rounded up alongside 47 others last year during a raid that targeted organized crime in and around Montreal. The preliminary hearing for Cazzetta is slated for Feb. 6, 2017. Tuesday’s ruling comes two weeks after a judge in a separate trial dropped gangsterism and other charges against Cazzetta. Salvatore Cazzetta is believed to be a leader among the Hells Angels in Quebec and one of its most influential members. He’s been loosely described in Montreal media reports throughout the years as controlling everything the Mafia doesn’t.