The so-called “willfully blind” parents of an Okanagan sexual predator could be partially on the hook for their adult son’s misdeeds, according to a lawsuit filed by the B.C. government this week.
Graham Daniel Dodge, 36, has been convicted of a series of offences, notably including sexual assaults against children.
According to the lawsuit filed on behalf of the Director of Civil Forfeiture, since 2009 he’s been convicted of production, distribution and possession of child pornography, sexual interference, supplying liquor to a minor, assault, assault of a peace officer, attempting to disarm a peace officer, intimidation, failure to comply with a probation order and failure to comply with a recognizance.
Most recently he was convicted of possession of child pornography and sexual interference on June 19, 2023.
Less than a year later, on March 13, he was caught breaching his parole and went to a location where children were. A subsequent search of his home resulted in a new charge of possession of child pornography.
Dodge, who is “registered with the national sex offender registry as a high-risk offender,” committed “some or all” of these crimes at one property Graham’s parents Dale and Roberta Dodge own and another they hold the mortgage on, though Graham is the registered owner.
“Dodge used the condominium and cabin to, among other things, commit sexual assault and sexual interference against persons under the age of 16 years, and to access, possess, produce, and distribute child pornography,” the province alleged.
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Now the province wants to get their hands on those two properties: a Mount Baldy cabin, which is worth an estimated $480,000 and has been owned by Dodge’s parents since 1996 and the Kelowna condo where Dodge lives, valued at $321,000.
As for the reason why his parents, Dale and Roberta Dodge, are included, the province alleges that they “knew or ought to have known the manner in which” their son used both the condo and the cabin.
“In the alternative, Dale and Roberta Dodge were willfully blind to the manner in which Graham Dodge used the cabin and is likely to use the cabin in the future.”
The lawsuit argues Dodge is likely to continue to use the properties for illegal activity if they are not seized, which also argues that if money from the sale goes to Dodge or his parents, it will “likely be used for the unlawful activity.”
No responses have been filed.
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