Parole board denies convicted killer’s request for move based on COVID-19 fears

The Parole Board of Canada has denied a request from the former president of the Saint John chapter of the Bacchus Motorcycle Club to move out of a community correctional centre, despite concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

Matthew Thomas Foley is serving a 10-year sentence for manslaughter in the shooting death of Michael Schimpf in Saint John in July 2012.

READ MORE: Bacchus Motorcycle Club members facing organized crime charges in N.S.

Foley was released from prison last year on statutory release, but the parole board imposed a residency condition.

In a decision dated May 8, the board says it is aware of Foley’s concerns about being exposed to COVID-19 but cites measures taken within the centre to limit contact with other residents.

READ MORE: Police take 2 into custody after shots fired in Saint John’s north end

The board says Foley has a lengthy criminal record and his decision to remain a member of the Bacchus gang “creates a myriad of high-risk situations.”

A 2018 court decision deemed the group to be a criminal organization with “a reputation for violence.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 20, 2020.