Canada - ~parole board decision Hells Angels member denied early release from prison~
A full-patch Manitoba Hells Angels member who received a 15-year prison term in 2007 has been denied early release -- despite claiming he plans to "distance" himself from the gang.
Ian Grant was eligible for accelerated day parole because he has served one-sixth of his first federal sentence for what are considered non-violent crimes. But the National Parole Board quickly rejected his bid earlier this month, according to documents obtained by the Free Press.
"The board is satisfied there are reasonable grounds to believe that, if released, you are likely to commit an offence involving violence before the expiration of your sentence," the board wrote.
Police arrested Grant and 12 other biker associates in February 2006 based on the work of career criminal Franco Atanasovic, who was paid $525,000 to infiltrate the Hells.
Grant wasn't even an original target when police began their investigation in early 2005, but he quickly came on the radar when he began extorting an old drug debt from Atanasovic. Police ended up giving their agent thousands of dollars to pay to Grant to buy him more time.
Grant eventually sold two kilograms of cocaine and one kilo of crystal meth to Atanasovic, although he was never actually caught in the act. He used lower-level couriers to do his bidding, but jurors clearly accepted the agent's word they were acting on Grant's directions. More than $6,000 in marked police money used in the drug buys was found inside Grant's safety deposit box, along with nearly $60,000 in other cash from drug proceeds.
"At (a parole hearing earlier this month) you acknowledged you were in the debt collection business. You also insisted that you were usually not involved in the drug trade, but you were aware of and could obtain drugs when you wanted," the parole board wrote this month. "In the case of the current offence, you became involved in significant drug trafficking as part of your debt recovery work."
Grant insisted his crimes were not connected to his involvement with the Hells Angels.
"The Correctional Service of Canada is recommending that accelerated parole not be directed. Further, you have not secured the support of a community-based residential facility and the canvassed police are opposed to your release being directed," the board wrote. "Although you presented as forthright and intelligent, you also acknowledged the violence in your past and the negative associates from whom you plan to distance yourself in the future."
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