RCMP court filings indicate that charges are pending against a provincial Crown prosecutor in Newfoundland and Labrador after police seized a cache of firearms and prohibited weapons late last year.
The details of the investigation involving Lee Ballett are spelled out in a sworn affidavit by an RCMP investigator that was obtained by CBC News.
The federal Crown made an application in provincial court earlier this month to hold onto the evidence seized, because their investigation is still ongoing.
Ballett, who was working as a prosecutor in St. John’s as recently as last fall, has not yet been charged with any crime. And the allegations set out by police have not been tested in court.
However, an affidavit from Const. Maude Pilon of the RCMP’s Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit says Ballett is potentially facing a number of charges. Those include unauthorized importing and exporting, smuggling into Canada, disposing of goods illegally, and other weapons-related offences.
The RCMP court filing did say that “charges are pending.”
According to the affidavit, the investigation into Ballett began in early November 2025, with a tip from the Canada Border Services Agency.
Pilon wrote that a parcel containing a firearm suppressor — more commonly known as a silencer — was intercepted by CBSA at a Canada Post warehouse in Ontario. Police allege it was addressed to Ballett at a residence in St. John’s.
On Nov. 20, the parcel was delivered to Ballett’s address with a tracker inside that set off an alarm once the package was opened.
The affidavit says the RCMP’s emergency response team went to the property after the alarm triggered and called out for the resident to exit.
Ballett was arrested and provided a cautioned statement.
Police then searched the home and a BMW registered to Ballett.
According to the affidavit, police seized nine firearms, along with 23 magazines — including three classified as prohibited devices. Body armour, brass knuckles, knives and 35 grams of the hallucinogen Psilocybin were also seized by the RCMP.
Two iPhones and one laptop were also taken as evidence. However, police say a review of what is believed to be Ballett’s work phone didn’t turn up any evidence.
Before police can examine the second phone, a “referee” from the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador has to review the data to ensure there is no solicitor-client information on the device.
As part of the application to the court, Pilon wrote that police need the items longer “to obtain a full and complete picture of Lee Ballett’s involvement in criminal activities” if any.
Investigators are waiting on results of an analysis of the suppressor, firearms and overcapacity magazines from the national forensic lab, where there is a 70-day turnaround.
At provincial court in St. John’s Thursday afternoon, Associate Chief Judge Jennifer Mercer extended the detention order until June.
Ballett did not appear. The detention application was handled by the federal Crown, which has responsibility for import and export offences.
Ballett was called to the bar in 2021. He is still listed on the Law Society website as practising with the provincial Crown attorney’s office.
An email sent by CBC News to Ballett’s government address bounced back Thursday afternoon, with an automated reply: “Your message couldn’t be delivered because you don’t have permission to send to this recipient.”
The province’s director of public prosecutions, Lisa Stead, did not immediately respond to CBC’s request for information about Ballett’s current employment status.
