Stéphane Gagné, who killed and injured two prison guards at the request of Maurice Boucher during the biker war and who then testified against the latter, causing him to be convicted, obtained his full parole at the end of January in the greatest secret, learned The Press.
Normally, the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) automatically sends decisions to journalists on an offender’s decision register.
But in this case, it was a third person who learned of Gagné’s release at The Press.
We requested the decisions from the CLCC, which took a few days to send them to us.
From the start, the parole process for Stéphane Gagné, 54, one of the best-known repentant witnesses in the province’s criminal history, has been surrounded by extreme discretion.
Gagné’s hearings before parole commissioners take place behind closed doors.
All passages that concern his exit plan are redacted in the decisions.
Gagné, who is protected by the Sûreté du Québec, has a new identity, and according to our information, he is no longer in the province.
A long journey
Stéphane Gagné has been serving a life sentence since 1998 for the murder of prison guard Diane Lavigne and for an attempted murder committed against another correctional officer, Robert Corriveau, a year earlier.
After being arrested, Gagné turned his back and testified against Maurice Boucher, who was convicted of the murders of the correctional officers and was in turn sentenced to life imprisonment in 2000. Boucher died of cancer in penitentiary last year.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Biker Maurice Boucher, in April 2000
In 2013, Stéphane Gagné went to Superior Court to advance his parole eligibility date, and police officers with whom he had worked testified in his favor.
After around 20 years of incarceration, Stéphane Gagné made his first steps toward freedom through escorted outings in 2018.
Five years later, in February 2023, he obtained his first day release for a period of six months and he was not sent to a halfway house, but rather to an undisclosed location for his safety.
In July 2023, his day release was renewed for another period of six months without this being announced.
During this semi-release which lasted a year, Gagné “acclimatized to his new environment”, write parole commissioners in two decisions – in July 2023 and January 2024 – obtained by The Press.
Uncomfortable with his past
In the fairly redacted decisions, we understand that Gagné engages in a sport that is not specified.
“The area of dating was the subject of particular attention upon your release. No concerns were reported in this area,” the commissioners wrote in the decision by which Gagné obtained his full parole on January 25.
“Based on the most recent psychological risk assessment, you appear to be thinking more carefully. Your speech does not reflect an adherence to criminal values and you exhibit discomfort with your criminal past, elements which are indicative of your commitment to avoiding your criminalized lifestyle. »
[…] Your lifestyle and discipline are remarkable and you demonstrate resilience and tolerance in the face of unexpected events.
Extract from the decision leading to the full parole of Stéphane Gagné
“The Commission notes that although you still have work to do in your various spheres, including those of finances, employment and your social network, it emphasizes that you demonstrate transparency,” the commissioners also note in their eight-page decision.
Until the end of his sentence, unless new decisions are made, Stéphane Gagné will not be able to communicate with his victims or their family members, will not be able to communicate with any person involved in criminal activities, will not be able to possess more a cell phone and more than one SIM card, and will need to be followed by a psychologist.
To contact Daniel Renaud, call 514 285-7000, ext. 4918, write to [email protected] or write to the postal address of The Press.