CAYUGA—A long-standing dispute between Cayuga resident Jesse Little and Haldimand County continues to unfold, with recent allegations from Little raising concerns about political interference and law enforcement overreach during the recent Ward 4 byelection.
Little, who ran in the Ward 4 byelection earlier this spring, issued a public letter accusing Haldimand County and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) of initiating multiple unjustified arrests during his campaign.
He claims he was detained on two separate occasions in April – on the 11th and 14th – while attempting to obtain legally required campaign expense forms from the County Administration Building.
In his letter, Little stated he was “cut off by multiple police SUVs and grabbed while operating a bicycle” and later “detained for the exact same false police report.”
Subsequently, Little submitted a second letter to The Press soliciting donations to replace his vehicle, which he alleges was “destroyed by false pretenses created by Haldimand County” and to help with his legal fees for his upcoming criminal trial.
Haldimand County has since responded in detail to these claims when asked by The Press.
According to Kyra Hayes, Supervisor of Customer Experience and Communication, Little had previously been served with a trespass notice restricting his access to the County Administration Building and Cayuga Arena.
A separate court order provided Little access to the premises for legitimate business, such as the election, but required Little make an appointment in advance, either by phone or email.
Hayes asserted that Little attended the property four times during the byelection period without following this process.
On the first two occasions, she said staff reminded him of the notice. On the following two, staff contacted the OPP after informing Little that they were doing so.
“As part of (our) obligation to maintain a safe working environment, each time Mr. Little attends the property without following the required process … the police will continue to be called,” stated the County.
The County also outlined past incidents involving Little, including two counts of public mischief laid by the OPP in fall 2024. The charges stemmed from an event where Little allegedly placed a sign on the County building, attempted to retrieve it, and rode his bicycle through the lobby while blowing an air horn. Staff contacted police on both occasions.
The County further claims Little violated release conditions by contacting individuals he had been ordered not to, including Mayor Shelley Ann Bentley and CAO Cathy Case.
Another incident cited by the County involved Little allegedly drawing a chalk outline resembling a body at the municipal office entrance with the phrase “the rule of law is dead.”
This, according to the County, led to the issuance of the trespass notice.
Little, however, disputes these accounts and says his actions have been misrepresented.
He argues that signage and noise matters should fall under municipal bylaws, not criminal charges, and accuses the County of escalating matters by involving police in what he considers standard campaign activity.
Little also alleges that County staff interfered with his access to campaign materials and that the OPP refused to investigate what he describes as “false police reports” made against him.
The County denies these claims, stating staff never interfered with Little’s access to election forms and did not refer any byelection matters to police. Instead, they maintain that the sole issue has been Little’s failure to adhere to the trespass notice and related court orders.
When asked for comment, OPP Community Engagement Officer PC Patti Cote said she could not confirm nor deny any of the allegations raised by Little.
Haldimand County emphasized that it “cannot instruct the OPP in their operations and enforcement” and iterated that interactions with Little have spanned more than six years.
The County stated that it believes it has acted reasonably throughout and has only resorted to trespass notices and police involvement to maintain a “safe and respectful workplace.”
Little is due in court in Cayuga on Thursday, May 8 to set the date of his trial.
