If you’re scrolling through Instagram or Facebook shorts and live in the province of Quebec, you might stumble upon a video of Jean-Noel ‘Sarto’ Lacroix promoting his cabinet-making business ‘Armoires PMM’. He’s easy to recognize, practically screaming into the camera about how he can build you a kitchen for 9999$. You might think he’s on pills, blow or even steroids, but all-in-all, he’s just a very passionate man who uses his eccentric character to promote his business.
The man portrays a questionable aura, and similar to his aura, he also has a questionable lifestyle. But was this questionable lifestyle to blame for these events? Last week his house was shot at the very same night three of his company trucks were criminally torched. So why would anyone want to wish this upon him? Is his lifestyle catching up to him, or is he catching up to it?
Thursday night (5/09/2024) leading up to Friday morning, at exactly 12:32am the SPVQ had received a call from neighbors of Lacroix, stating the fact that there had been gunshots fired in a quiet, residential neighborhood in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, a town neighboring Quebec City to the west, commonly referred to as ‘St-Aug’. The house was located on Rue de l’Hetriere, near the intersection of Rue Lionel-Groulx. The house and it’s property had all sorts of signs stating ‘Smile, you’re being filmed’. These signs weren’t just to deter unwanted attention on the house, but also served as means of protecting the wealthy homeowner and successful businessman Jean-Noel ‘Sarto’ Lacroix.
Once investigators had arrived at the scene, they found numerous bullet holes, littered throughout the exterior of the house. Thankfully, no one had been hurt throughout the event. Lacroix had been home to answer the numerous questions in which investigators had to ask. The investigation was handed off to head investigators in ‘Projet MALSAIN’, an operation brought on by police to tackle the increase in gang violence and drug trafficking. Hence, this is no coincidence, but directly implicated to the drug war taking place on the east of the province between the Blood Family Mafia and the Hells Angels MC.
Investigators left the house at 9am on Friday morning, but came back with a warrant towards 5:00pm, which helped them seize the surveillance video which Lacroix had set up all throughout the property. ‘Sarto’ Lacroix had installed these cameras, along with bulletproof glass on his vehicles after police had visited him shortly after Michel ‘Doune’ Guerin’s murder. They paid him a visit in relation to a ‘Duty-to-Warn’ notice, letting him know that his life was in danger. Only a week before Guerin’s murder, on November 18th, 2023, his business had been targeted by a criminal arson. Least to say, he surely uttered “Come back with a warrant” throughout his meeting with investigators.
Lacroix did not take kindly to this visit, filing a lawsuit against the city for 3.8 million dollars, 3.5 million dollars in his name and 310,000$ under his company’s name. He accuses the city of blackmailing him, bringing unwanted attention his way. Lacroix feels the city is after him, and there’s no doubt about it, after a judge signed for the seizure of his 6 million dollar mansion due to him not following up on paying certain taxes, even though the house was under his wife’s name. The province’s tax agency sent him a hefty bill of 2.5 million in unpaid taxes. This was the same residence which was shot at, the most expensive residence in the region of the province’s capital.
Almost concurrently, his business Armoires PMM located on Rue Provinciale had been victim to a criminal arson, only hours before. The fire was set on a cube truck, in which the flames eventually engulfed and caused two other vehicles parked next to it to be set on fire. Police deemed this as a criminal arson.
Lacroix hasn’t had any past convictions relating to criminality, except for one, his only enemy seems to be the Quebec Revenue Agency and other government agencies, being caught in their iron sights in 2006 with the business mogul’s Flamidor company, an air-conditioning and heating company. The Consumers Protection Office (OPC) set out 199 accusations toward the company. These accusations were relating to defective heating or air-conditioning units. 101 of these accusations were targeted at another company named ‘Pro du Chauffage’.
In 2011 he was deemed to be the head of an operation for financial fraud. Lacroix was accused of the fraud of 900,00$ in which he pleaded guilty three years later in 2014. The rabbit hole of past financial delinquency for this man is never ending. There is no doubt that he is somehow tied up and involved in the ongoing drug war.
Other businesses Lacroix managed included ‘G1 Tour’ and ‘9MM’ energy drinks. These two companies faced media criticism after a whistleblower by the name of Mathieu Peloquin, an ex-employee of the businesses, filed a complaint in 2016, to the ‘Commission des Normes du Travail’ who are in charge of worker’s rights in the province.
Peloquin mentioned how Lacroix would scream at his employees, humiliate them and even brought female employees to the verge of tears. Lacroix also threatened to fight an employee who would later quit, with Lacroix stating he would “Crisser une vole” (“Beat him up”). Employees of G1 Tour were employed to sell aggressively, putting pressure on the would-be clients. The president of G1 Tour, Tony Frenette, mentioned to the media how Lacroix ceased working for the company in January of 2016.
Although it is not clear what ‘Sarto’ Lacroix’s relationship with the HAMC is, several news agencies have noted how he was close with members and acquaintances of the group. We can confirm that Lacroix was a very close friend to Michel ‘Doune’ Guerin, who was even known to work at Armoires PMM in the past. Guerin was shot in November of last year. He was the president of Les Mercenaires MC in the ’90’s and even was a prospect of the HAMC, though, never a member of the famed motorcycle club, he had strong ties to it.
Nearly 24 hours later, Patrick Laurendeau, an ex-drug trafficker who was pinched in 2005 for his involvement in a Hells Angels drug trafficking ring, was shot by two unknown suspects in an attempted murder. Not to mention another murder which occurred in Mont-Jolie of a 40-some year old drug dealer, known for his ties with the HAMC was believed to be involved in the current drug war. Events are ramping up, week by week, getting more intense, more violent as this strife progresses. Let’s not forget to mention the kidnapping attempt by five members of the Profit Boys just last week. A Montreal street gang who are aligned with the Blood Family Mafia.
To say the least, there is something fishy taking place, he may shoot down his past convictions on Instagram shorts and portray himself as the victim. Either way, there is no escaping the long arm of the law. Don’t be fooled by the IG shorts of him eating a ‘friendly’ white bread ham sandwich, with a bag of chips and a coke.
