Adrian Roks

Adrian Roks is currently serving a life sentence in Kingston Penitentiary. He was charged and convicted under a rarely used part of the criminal code, 229(c). He was convicted under this code from statements made by three of the co-accused. (all of which are not currently in prison because they were either given time served or had their charges reduced). Adrian Roks is believed to be a co-conspirator because he knew all of the parties involved. Some of whom would frequent the tanning salon Adrian Roks owned.
John Magno was the president of Woodbine Building Supply at Danforth Avenue and Woodbine Avenue, a business he co-owned with his two brothers Frank and Carlo and founded by their father. Woodbine Building Supply was destroyed on Christmas Eve in 2001, in what was one of the biggest fires in Toronto's history. More than 170 firefighters were required to bring the six-alarm blaze under control. The building was less than 50 metres from residences in the neighborhood and more than 50 families had to evacuate their homes on Christmas morning. Tony Jarcevic was killed in the blaze while Sam Paskalis was severely burned and disfigured, remaining in a coma for several months.Investigators quickly suspected arson, and suggested that Paskalis and Jarcevic were caught in the conflagration due to their inexperience, when they prematurely ignited gasoline and other flammable substances.Adrian Roks owns two businesses with his wife and they own a home together in Pickering. Until his conviction on June 11, 2007 he was under strict bail conditions. Adrian Roks was never found to have breached his bail conditions and worked steadily at both his tanning salon locations.John Magno testified at Roks's trial that he had no knowledge of Adrian Roks's involvement. Judge Epstein ruled that Magno was not being truthful about Roks's involvement and chose to believe co-accused Regaldo, McMaster, and Paskalis (who was found to have lied under oath several times in trial). Paskalis had previously been convicted of fraud and was out on bail during the Woodbine explosion. John “Sam” Paskalis had also allegedly burned down his own cottage, prior to the Woodbine fire, for insurances purposes.Judge Epstien ruled, that because Adrian Roks grew up in a good home with a loving family and that he was currently a successful businesses man, that the only reason he would have done this is out of “greed”. A term that Roks's friends and family would never have associated with Adrian. Adrian Roks maintains his innocents and is currently appealing his conviction.

External links

* [http://www.thestar.com/article/205694]
* [http://www.thestar.com/News/article/205311]
* [http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=0f65e500-bab2-4aaa-a8f6-e161fe5e8244&k=53978]
* [http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/toronto/story.html?id=9f0ce4a5-6067-4009-8a9c-31c176f338a1]
* [http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=0a10b0e2-bd0d-4355-b091-83e2930a8a