rdfs:comment
| - His mother, Simone Courville, was the younger sister of Armand Courville, a reputed major underworld and partner of “The Egg” Vic Cotroni for decades. Simard’s father supposedly drank heavily and often abused him. As a teenager, Simard joined a neighbourhood street gang. The young hoods specialized committed petty crimes, such as theft and vandalism. He then partnered up with Raymond Martel, a childhood friend, and the two began holding up banks together. They spent the profits from their crimes on partying and good times.
|
abstract
| - His mother, Simone Courville, was the younger sister of Armand Courville, a reputed major underworld and partner of “The Egg” Vic Cotroni for decades. Simard’s father supposedly drank heavily and often abused him. As a teenager, Simard joined a neighbourhood street gang. The young hoods specialized committed petty crimes, such as theft and vandalism. He then partnered up with Raymond Martel, a childhood friend, and the two began holding up banks together. They spent the profits from their crimes on partying and good times. On one heist, as Simard waited in the getaway car, Martel was caught in the act. Simard managed to avoid arrest, but shortly thereafter, Jean-Paul Saint-Armand, one of their bank robbing accomplices, was arrested and turned informant. Saint-Armand gave them up and Simard and Martel would be convicted and sentenced to six and three years in prison, respectively. In Parthenais penitentiary, Simard spent much of his time with reputed Montreal Mafia boss Frank Cotroni, who was awaiting extradition to the US. Cotroni knew Simard was Armand Courville’s nephew and took him under his wing. Simard saw the respect and influence Cotroni possessed, even from behind bars, and was impressed.
|