One Of BC's Most Wanted Men Is Reportedly Arrested In Puerto Rico After An International Manhunt

A decade-long international manhunt for a B.C. gang member named Conor D'Monte has reportedly ended with an arrest in Puerto Rico.

There was a $100,000 reward on the "high-ranking" gang member, after he was charged with the murder of a rival gang member named Kevin LeClair in 2009.

A press release from CFSEU-BC said that in 2008 and 2009 the Lower Mainland area in B.C. — which includes Vancouver — was facing "some of the worst gang violence in its history."

It was at this time that D'Monte's gang, called the United Nations (UN), was one of the main groups. The other was their rival gang, called the Red Scorpions.

In February of 2009, a member of the Red Scorpions named Kevin LeClair was murdered. The murder happened in broad daylight during a shooting at a Langley strip mall.

"While Kevin LeClair’s murder was one of many, it prompted one of the longest and most involved joint investigations in CFSEU-BC’s history, one that continues to this day," CFSEU-BC said.

One of the people charged with Kevin LeClair's murder was Conor D'Monte, who CFSEU-BC described as "a high-ranking UN gang member."

During this time, these two main rival groups were openly shooting at each other and "innocent victims were killed in the crossfire," CFSEU-BC said.

This violence resulted in a joint investigation between police agencies in the region. The investigation into the gang groups eventually lead to the arrests and convictions of dozens of gang members and their associates, they added.

Because of the extreme gang violence, the CFSEU-BC joined forces with the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT). From 2008 to the present day, 18 UN gang members and associates have been arrested through these joint efforts.

Although CFSEU-BC has been advised that the man arrested in Puerto Rico is Conor D’Monte, the Canadian Government is helping confirm this before arranging for the extradition of D'Monte to Canada.

Assistant Commissioner Manny Mann said that multiple organizations have "relentlessly pursued Conor D’Monte to hold him accountable for his alleged involvement in the murder of Kevin LeClair and the gang violence that plagued British Columbia for years.”

"We always knew this day would come and we will now continue our efforts to support the extradition and prosecution," Mann added.