Two individuals considered by the authorities to be linked to traditional Irish organized crime have taken another step towards freedom in recent weeks.
Jeffrey Colegrove, 56, obtained his statutory release – at two-thirds of his sentence – under strong conditions while Alain Charron, 74, a former member of the Dubois clan, associate of the West Gang and friend of the caïd Raynald Desjardins, is now on full parole.
PHOTO THE PRESS
Jeffrey Colegrove
Colegrove has been serving a 12-year prison sentence for drug trafficking since January 2017. He had been arrested in 2015 by investigators from the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) in a house in the west of the island of Montreal where, in addition to drugs, the police had discovered weapons, glasses tactics, laser sights and bulletproof vests.
In 2018, while serving his sentence, Colegrove was arrested again for allegedly running a drug trafficking ring from within the walls.
The charges, however, were dropped after a judge ruled that the wiretap was illegal.
Colegrove was once considered by police to be a major player in the large-scale export of cannabis to the United States.
He would have been the boss of Elizabeth Barrer, alias Nicki, an American fugitive on the list of the most wanted criminals in the United States and killed in Montreal in 2014.
High risks
Colegrove says he is not affiliated with traditional Irish organized crime, but parole board members accuse him of having been involved in institutional trafficking during his incarceration and consider that his criminal values are still very strong.
Since the risks of recidivism are significant according to the commissioners, they impose severe conditions on him.
Thus, until the end of his sentence, Colegrove will be assigned to a center run by the correctional services, will not be able to use drugs or alcohol, will have to seek or keep a job, will have to avoid anyone with a criminal history or who is related to a criminal organization may not possess more than one cell phone and a SIM card, must provide its telephone log to its release agents upon request, must disclose all its financial transactions and, finally, may not frequent drinking establishments.
“While you deny any involvement in the listed offenses and despite your disaffiliation process, your parole officer pleads that your safety could be threatened if you resided in a halfway house. This makes the Commission believe that you are still a person of interest to the underworld. It is therefore logical to think that this could lead you to resume your criminal activities in order to […] protect you, arm you or return to your violent criminal associates,” writes a parole board member in a nine-page decision.
The road to Damascus
For his part, arrested by Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigators, Alain Charron has been serving a five-year prison sentence since 2020 for a conspiracy to import a large quantity of cannabis resin.
Charron had already obtained his day parole (permission to go to a halfway house) last December. He has now been granted full parole and can return to live at home.
The parole board members consider that Charron has continued to make good progress in recent months.
“The Commission concludes that you have found your way to Damascus and, in doing so, have made measurable and observable progress,” they wrote in their eight-page decision.
However, they remain cautious and still maintain several conditions: Charron will have to disclose all of his financial transactions, have only one cell phone, only one SIM card and provide his telephone log on request, not go to bars and have no contact with any person with a criminal history or who he knows is linked to a criminal organization.
“You have been a major player in the drug trade. […] The Commission notes that you have been convicted and imprisoned abroad, including in the United States and the Bahamas, for the same type of offence. In addition, suspicion hangs over a hidden criminality that you categorically deny. Your association with the underworld dates back to the 1970s. You admit to having had contacts as an independent with criminal groups, including the bikers, the Gang of the West and the Italian clan. The Commission notes that you have responded to justice on charges of murder and conspiracy to murder on three occasions. Despite your acquittal or the withdrawal of these charges, the fact remains that the said legal proceedings are indicative of a large-scale criminality and of an objective gravity”, write the commissioners in particular.
On release, Charron wants to take care of a loved one who has health problems, play golf and go fishing.
To reach Daniel Renaud, dial 514 285-7000, ext. 4918, write to [email protected] or write to the postal address of The Press.