A wanted B.C. man has a long history of crime, with more than 50 convictions, according to parole board documents.
Robert Gordon Heltman is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant, and an attempt to arrest him last month in the Okanagan came up empty-handed.
The Vancouver Police Department says the 30-year-old is wanted for breaching his statutory release.
According to police, the Correctional Service of Canada issued the warrant on July 8, 2020, when he failed to return to his halfway house where he was required to reside as a condition of his statutory release under section 135 (1) of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.
Vernon RCMP said this week that an effort was made to catch the federal fugitive on Aug. 19 after police learned he was possibly hiding in a home on Brooks Lane.
The Southeast District Emergency Response Team was brought in to assist, and nearby homes were evacuated, with RCMP calling it a high-risk situation due to the possibility of a firearm.
After numerous attempts were made to contact anyone inside the home, the Emergency Response Team entered the residence, police said. Heltman, however, wasn’t inside, though police said a loaded handgun was seized from the residence during the investigation.
Police are continuing to search for Heltman, who has ties to the Okanagan, confirmed Vernon RCMP.
Documents from the Parole Board of Canada say Heltman’s court history is lengthy, with 55 prior convictions.
Get breaking National news
His latest sentencing was a jail term of three years, six months and 30 days for failing to comply with a probation order, possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition, trafficking and obstructing a peace officer.
The Parole Board of Canada document also noted that in July 2015, he was arrested for being the driver of a stolen vehicle with stolen license plates.
“You also had several outstanding warrants,” said the document. “A search incidental to arrest revealed four pieces of identification belonging to unknown people.
“At the time of your arrest, you were bound by probation orders and in breach of conditions.”
The document then went on to list:
- An undercover drug investigation during the summer of 2016 in which police purchased drugs from him, his intimate partner and an associate;
- How he was stopped at a police roadblock in August 2016 and was found operating a motor vehicle while prohibited from doing so;
- How he sped away from that roadblock and later crashed, with police finding a large number of drugs and paraphernalia and a loaded prohibited handgun;
- How he was found inside a stolen vehicle in February 2017 and provided false names to police multiple times;
- And how he assaulted an inmate with an ice-pick weapon in December 2019 and was involuntarily transferred to maximum security.
“Your criminal history is significant with 55 convictions for property, breach-of-trust, assault, weapons, obstruction, and drug-related crimes,” said the Parole Board of Canada document.
“You also have approximately 22 stayed or withdrawn offences on your file, which are also considered part of your history of behaviour in the community.
“You have not abided by conditions of release and have reoffended on release. The Board notes the seriousness of breaching court-ordered sanctions as it suggests an unwillingness to follow rules and a pattern of non-compliance.”
The parole board noted that statutory release is a presumptive release by law and not a decision of the Parole Board of Canada.
According to the parole board, “most offenders (except those serving a life or indeterminate sentence) must be released by the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) with supervision after serving two-thirds of their sentence if parole has not already been granted.”
The parole board also said “statutory release aims to provide offenders structure and support before their sentence expires to improve the chances of their successful reintegration into the community. Offenders can be returned to custody if they violate their conditions of release or are believed to present an undue risk to the public.”
As such, the board noted that Heltman’s community history “is significant and includes threats, violence and the use of weapons,” and that he was assessed as high risk for domestic violence.
Heltman’s release included conditions that he live in a community-based residential facility for six months, along with several conditions, including not to consume alcohol or drugs and to seek employment.
If anyone has any information regarding Heltman, they are asked to contact the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP at 250-545-7171 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Comments