Major Montreal organized crime figure Raynald Desjardins to be released soon

He did not request a parole hearing while behind bars and he therefore automatically qualifies for a statutory release when he reaches two-thirds mark of the sentence. In such cases, the Parole Board of Canada is limited to imposing conditions on an offender’s release.

“You have explained that because you were respected in the milieu and even if you were in retirement, you were consulted by former compatriots in the context of a war between different parties that evolved within the milieu of the Mafia,” the Parole Board of Canada noted in its decision made on Wednesday to impose at least five conditions on Desjardins’s release.

The board also noted that “current available information indicates that you have been an important and influential member of traditional organized crime for decades.”

One condition requires that Desjardins not associate with any known criminals or people tied to drug trafficking for the remainder of his sentence. This was a problem for Desjardins while he served his 15-year sentence as he was returned behind bars at least once for having met with a Montreal Mafia leader while out on a statutory release back then.

The decision also notes Desjardins claimed he has little knowledge of his current financial situation. The parole board warned Desjardins that “transparency is essential” when he supplies information to a parole officer on his revenue and his expenses while he is out on statutory release.