Niagara Falls – On October 16, 2025, Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) 2 District officers (Niagara Falls/Niagara-on-the-Lake) along with officers with the Community Oriented Response and Engagement Unit (C.O.R.E.) from 1 District (St. Catharines/Thorold) were dispatched to a weapons call at a Ferry Street hotel near Main Street in Niagara Falls.
Cleaning staff there had located a firearm inside a room which had just been vacated. Responding officers located a loaded, prohibited, .25 calibre handgun which had a round chambered.
The occupants of the hotel room, a male and female, were identified and had relocated to another room within the same hotel. Officers arrested both occupants and transported them to the NRPS Central Holding cells. At cells, it was discovered that the male had in his possession, 8 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine and $1710 of Canadian Currency. The female was found to be in possession of $200 of Canadian Currency.
Detectives with the of 2 District Street Crime Unit took carriage of the investigation and were granted Judicial Authorization under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to search the hotel room belonging to the accused parties.
The warrant was executed and as a result the following items were seized:
101.4 grams of suspected cocaine (estimated street value $12,168) 32.6 grams of suspected fentanyl (estimated street value $6,520) 15 pills of suspected morphine (estimated street value $75) 498 pills of suspected hydromorphone (estimated street value $7,470) 76 pills of suspected oxycodone (estimated street value $760) $3000 of Canadian Currency Ammunition Items consistent with the trafficking of drugs
27-year-old Benjamin SHEARER of Toronto has been charged with the following offences:
Careless Storage of a Firearm, Weapon, Prohibited Device Possess Restricted or Prohibited Firearm Knowingly Not Holding a Licence Possess Firearm Without Holding a Licence Possess Loaded Regulated Firearm Failing to Comply with Probation Order Possession of Firearm, Weapon, or Ammunition Contrary to Probation Order 2 Counts of Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5000 355(b) POSS OF PROCEEDS OF PROPERTY OBTAINED BY CRIME UNDER $5000 8 6 counts of Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the purpose of Trafficking (Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Fentanyl, 2x Hydromorphone, Oxycodone)
30-year-old Taylor HARRISON of North York has been charged with the following offences:
Careless Storage of a Firearm, Weapon or Prohibited Device Possess Restricted or Prohibited Firearm Knowingly Not Holding a Licence Possess Restricted or Prohibited Firearm Without Holding a Licence Possess Loaded Regulated Firearm 2 Counts of Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained Crime Under $5000 5 Counts of Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking (Cocaine, Fentanyl, 2x Hydromorphone, Oxycodone)
Both SHEARER and HARRISON are being held in custody pending a bail hearing, which is expected to take place October 17, 2025, at the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse in the City of St Catharines.
Anyone who may have information related to this investigation is asked to contact detectives by calling 905-688-4111, option 3, extension 1009667.
Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously can contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to persons who contact the program with information which leads to an arrest.
NRPS Incident #25-120814