For anyone following Montreal’s organized crime scene, the name Raynald Desjardins carries serious weight. He wasn’t just another mobster—he was a major player with deep connections to the Rizzuto crime family and the Hells Angels. When he pleaded guilty to conspiring to kill Salvatore Montagna in 2016, it marked the end of a long, bloody chapter in Quebec’s underworld. But now, after years behind bars, Desjardins is about to walk free.
And that’s where things get complicated.
Desjardins and Montagna: A Partnership That Turned Deadly
In the early 2010s, Raynald Desjardins and Montagna had a common goal: to take over the Montreal Mafia. At the time, the Rizzuto empire was vulnerable—Vito Rizzuto was in a U.S. prison, and rival factions circled like vultures. Montagna, an ambitious Sicilian mobster from New York, saw an opportunity. He teamed up with Desjardins to push the Rizzutos out.
However, as anyone familiar with the Mafia knows, alliances in that world don’t last. By late 2011, Desjardins and Montagna were at war. Someone tried to kill Raynald Desjardins in Laval—a move that, in the Mafia, almost always guarantees retaliation. On November 24, 2011, Montagna was lured to a meeting and gunned down in Charlemagne, just outside Montreal.
The Case Against Desjardins
The police didn’t need to dig too deep to figure out who was behind it. The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU) had been running a separate drug trafficking investigation when they intercepted BlackBerry messages detailing the plot. At the time, mobsters believed BlackBerry’s encryption was bulletproof. The RCMP had access to the decryption key—a detail that changed the game.
Desjardins was arrested less than a month later, along with several co-conspirators. While no one was convicted of pulling the trigger, Desjardins pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, avoiding a first-degree murder charge that would’ve kept him in prison for life.
A Shorter Sentence Than It Seems for Raynald Desjardins
At first glance, 14 years might seem like a heavy sentence. But in Canada, time served before sentencing is often counted as “time and a half”—meaning Raynald Desjardins’ five years in pre-trial detention knocked a big chunk off his sentence. With that calculation, he was left with just six and a half years to serve after his conviction. He also never applied for parole, meaning he now automatically qualifies for statutory release, something the Parole Board of Canada cannot stop.
That’s not to say he’s getting out without restrictions. The parole board has slapped five conditions on his release, including a strict ban on associating with anyone tied to organized crime or drug trafficking.
The problem? That’s precisely what got him in trouble the last time.
What Happens to Raynald Desjardins Now?
Raynald Desjardins is 67 now, and while his influence has undoubtedly taken a hit, guys like him don’t just disappear. His long-standing ties to the Rizzutos, the Hells Angels, and other major players in Quebec’s underworld make it unlikely he’ll fade into retirement.
Historically, the Montreal Mafia operates in cycles—power struggles, betrayals, and shifting alliances have always been part of the game. With Desjardins back on the street, it raises an obvious question:
Who still sees him as an ally, and who sees him as unfinished business?
Montreal’s underworld has changed since 2011, but old grudges have long memories. And when someone like Raynald Desjardins re-enters the scene, the fallout isn’t far behind.
Author: Vincent Moretti
Bio: Vincent Moretti is a crime analyst and investigative journalist with over a decade of experience covering organized crime, law enforcement tactics, and high-profile criminal cases in North America.
