Americans extradited to Toronto for G20 charges

Three down, two to go.

That would be the perspective of Toronto police as two American citizens sought for their roles in the G20 summit riots three years ago appeared  in court Wednesday morning after being extradited to Canada and flown to Toronto the night before.

The two latest suspects to be reeled in are Kevin Chianella, 20, of Queens, New York, who faces a total of 53 charges, including arson; and Richard Dean Morano of Lackawaxen, Penn., 22, wanted on 14 criminal charges that include assaulting police.

Mr. Morano was granted an interim judicial release, akin to bail, on the strength of a cash deposit and a surety – a person willing to give the court a commitment the accused would  not flee.

Nobody was in court for Mr. Chianella and he was remanded in custody,  his hearing at the Finch Avenue courthouse  put over until Thursday.

Last week, co-accused Boston architect Quinn McCormic, 25, voluntarily returned to Toronto, waiving extradition, and was arrested at Pearson airport.

He was charged with mischief for allegedly causing an estimated $125,000 in damage. After a weekend in custody Mr. McCormic was allowed to return home on bail pending future court dates.

Mr. Chianella and Mr. Morano were flown to Toronto Tuesday after lengthy extradition proceedings.

Both are charged with committing extensive damage to public property while disguised in “black bloc” attire, which makes identification of individuals difficult.

Mr. Chianella stands accused of bringing a bag of rocks to the anti-G20 mass protest and committing numerous acts of vandalism that included hurling a chunk of granite through the big plate-glass window of the police museum at police headquarters on College Street.

The allegations against Mr. Morano state that while wearing a disguise he smashed the windshield of a police cruiser with a rock, while an officer was trapped inside, and broke several large plate-glass windows.

Two more Americans are still sought by Canadian authorities in connection with the June, 2010 upheaval, during which more than 1,100 people were arrested, most of them later released without charge, stirring widespread accusations of civil-rights violations by police.

The two are Dane Rossman, who is in custody in Tucson, Az., and Joel Bitar of New York, currently free on a $500,000 bond.

The allegedly masked, black-clad five are accused of taking a lead role in the riots, which saw police cars burned and dozens of windows shattered

The five were identified after Toronto police examined tens of thousands of images captured during the mayhem, many of them sent to police by members of the public, matched the faces to possible names, and then dispatched inquiries to law-enforcement agencies in the United States.

More than 40 people have been convicted for taking part in the rampage, and several were jailed.

The 53 charges against Mr. Chianella comprise:

One count of arson; 11 counts of mischief endangering life; one count of attempted mischief endangering life; 22 counts of mischief over $5,000; one count of mischief under $5,000; three counts of attempted mischief over $5,000; two counts of assault with a weapon; assaulting police with a weapon; three counts of assault; three counts of theft under $5,000; breaking and entering; two counts of intimidating a member of the justice system; obstructing a peace officer; and wearing a disguise with intent to commit an indictable offence.