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.
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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.
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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.