Hours before a high-risk offender allegedly held two teen girls captive and sexually assaulted them he walked out of a community correctional centre and didn’t return.
Now, the Correctional Service of Canada has suspended Kelly Trent Schoffer’s long-term supervision order and recommended he be charged with failing to comply with the order.
As well, in a Parole Board of Canada ruling, which divulges more details about the incident than Winnipeg police released at the time, it also said Schoffer should be charged with three breaches of the order.
Supplied
Kelly Trent Schoffer in a photo released by police in 2017.
“Given the breaches that did occur, the board is satisfied that no appropriate program of supervision can be established that would adequately protect society from the risk of your re-offending,” wrote board member M.M. Kenny in a seven-page decision delivered last Friday.
“The board does not lose sight of the nature and gravity of your offending behaviours, nor does it lose sight of your pattern of offending over a period of over 40 years with little to no significant gaps being noted.”
If convicted, the breaches carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
Schoffer, 54, was arrested on Aug. 10. Winnipeg police allege he lured two teen victims to an Exchange District hotel that morning, gave them drugs and alcohol, and then confined and sexually and physically assaulted them.
The parole board report said the teens were both 16 and, after inviting them to his hotel room, Schoffer became aggressive with one of them and forced her to perform sexual acts on him.
The report said, while that was happening, the other teen escaped and called police.
When police showed up, Schoffer tried to flee by leaping from a balcony, but ended up seriously injuring himself.
During a post-suspension interview on Aug. 12, Schoffer was wearing casts on an arm and a leg.
Police found both cocaine and $5,000 cash in the hotel room.
The report noted Schoffer also said in the interview that the teens lied about their ages, and he denies assaulting them or having cocaine.
In the report, Schoffer said the reason why he jumped off the balcony was he “thought a security threat group” was after him and that people were entering his room without announcing themselves.
While the board’s report said Schoffer’s guilt or innocence will be determined by the courts, “the board finds that the information provided by police to be reliable and persuasive, given you were caught at the scene.”
Schoffer has been charged with two counts each of sexual assault, forcible confinement and failing to comply with a probation order, and single counts of assault, obtaining sexual services for consideration and possession of cocaine. He is still in custody and he is scheduled to appear in court next month.
The parole board report says he was living at a community correctional centre as part of his long-term supervision order recommended following his statutory release from prison on May 30. The order also said he couldn’t enter a bar, could not consume, purchase or possess drugs and had to report all intimate sexual and non-sexual relationships and friendships with women to his parole supervisor.
Under the heading of “self control,” the report states “you have been unable to demonstrate change over the last 40 years and remain a risk to society in general.
“You continue to demonstrate a willingness to victimize females and display negative behaviours, which includes breaching conditions of your release.”
The board says Schoffer signed out of the community correctional centre the morning of Aug. 10 and, after he didn’t return, warrants for his apprehension and suspension were issued the next day.
The long-term supervision order was set to expire last Saturday.
kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
Kevin Rollason
Reporter
Kevin Rollason is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He graduated from Western University with a Masters of Journalism in 1985 and worked at the Winnipeg Sun until 1988, when he joined the Free Press. He has served as the Free Press’s city hall and law courts reporter and has won several awards, including a National Newspaper Award. Read more about Kevin.
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