A rare occurrence in the annals of the Parole Board of Canada: not only did a member of the Hells Angels appear before the parole commissioners on Monday, but the hearing ended just minutes after it began.
Pascal Facchino, 49, member of the Trois-Rivières section, requested semi-release, that is to say authorization to go to a halfway house.
Facchino has been serving an eight-year penitentiary sentence since March 2020 for gangsterism, conspiracy and cocaine trafficking after being arrested with, among others, Hells Angels Claude Gauthier, in a major investigation by the National Squad for the Repression of Organized Crime ( ENRCO) called Orque.
It is rare for members of the Hells Angels to appear before parole commissioners. Most of the time, they prefer to avoid this exercise and wait for their statutory release (two-thirds of their sentence), which is usually accompanied by severe conditions.
But Facchino, who has made some progress, “for whom incarceration seems to have had dissuasive effects and who is not a subject of interest for correctional officers,” said his release agent, decided to try his chance in front of commissioners Joseph Lainé and René Allard.
The interview did not last long.
To Commissioner Lainé’s first question, Facchino proudly replied that he is a member of the Hells Angels and that the Hells Angels are “a group of motorcycles and boyfriendswho like to ride motorcycles and party from time to time.
He denied that the Hells Angels are a criminal organization, and that members are necessarily involved in drug trafficking and violent crimes.
“It was I who decided to do the trafficking and not the organization. It was me who decided to make this life choice. The members of my section found out when I got arrested,” explained Facchino, this is his second federal sentence for drug trafficking – the first time having been handed down when he was a member of the Jokers, a defunct Hells Angels school club.
The mustard goes up his nose
Visibly upset, with anger rising in his nose, Commissioner Allard then intervened.
“Mr. Facchino, when you say that the Hells Angels are a bicycle club, that they go hiking, you are quite exaggerating.”
“You have made a first sentence and you are still sentenced for having done the same thing, for the benefit of a criminal organization. So you are not alone. You pay a rating, you share the profits. We haven’t been commissioners for only two months not to know that. You can continue the session like this, but we are not naive either,” reacted the commissioner.
Facchino’s lawyer, Me Sylvie Bordelais wanted to intervene, but Commissioner Allard refused. The biker asked to speak to her, the hearing was suspended and never resumed thereafter.
Facchino waived his hearing and his testimony lasted about 5 minutes in total.
Visits Clerk
Facchino’s release agent was opposed to his day release even though she stressed that the biker had made progress.
At the penitentiary, Facchino has held the position of visits clerk for three years, “a position of trust,” she said.
“He has been seen mixing with Hells Angels, but is not a subject of security interest.
In March 2021, he made insulting remarks and displayed an intimidating attitude towards an institutional manager, but in general, “his behavior is conformist and exemplary, and he has a positive influence in his pavilion,” she continued. .
Upon his release, Facchino wants to return home and resume his construction job.
His statutory release is scheduled for next August.
His agent has already announced her intention to request that special conditions be imposed on him: not to communicate with anyone involved in the crime, not to frequent drinking establishments except the SAQ, not to have more than one telephone and more of a SIM card, provide all their records, telephone bills and access to applications and sites, not delete any information on their device, not have an encrypted communications application, disclose all their financial transactions, seek or occupy a full-time employment and remain in a residence approved by Correctional Services for at least one year.
To contact Daniel Renaud, call him 514 285-7000, ext. 4918, write to [email protected] or write to the postal address of La Presse.