Statutory release has been revoked for a Saskatchewan man who was wanted for being unlawfully at large and violating his release conditions. On Oct. 3, the Parole Board of Canada in British Columbia handed down its decision to revoke 41-year-old Devon Ebach's statutory release.
In January, Correctional Service Canada (CSC) had asked Sask. RCMP’s Warrant Enforcement and Suppression Team (WEST) for help locating 41-year-old Devon Ebach. He was thought to be in Saskatoon, North Battleford or Cochin areas.
Documents obtained from the Parole Board of Canada by SASKTODAY.ca reveal that Ebach was statutorily released in January 2022. Three months later, his urinalysis tested positive for cocaine and a warrant for the suspension of his release was issued.
When Ebach was confronted with the test result he said he was dealing with depression because he missed his children. He was told to turn himself into police but instead went unlawfully at large for about 391 days until he was arrested for a break and enter in progress May 18, 2023.
Ebach tried running from police by swimming into a lake. When he swam back to shore a short time later, he was arrested by police. He told the parole board that he wasn’t trying to evade arrest and had jumped into the water because a K9 unit was following him, it was dark, and he was afraid the dog would attack him.
CSC reports that he was exposed to a criminal lifestyle at a young age by a caregiver who was involved in criminal behaviour and he engaged in drug trafficking activity to make quick and easy money due to financial pressures.
Ebach’s criminal activities occurred over a number of years and continued while he was serving an intermittent sentence and while on probation. When police searched his home, they found loaded firearms, ammunition including loaded magazines, a bulletproof vest, drugs, money, multiple cell phones, digital scales, and other items consistent with the drug trade.
He was convicted of two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, two firearms-related offences, driving while disqualified, and possession of property under $5,000 obtained by crime.
According to parole documents, Ebach was serving a nine year and three-month sentence since September 2014. He was statutorily released in 2017 but was convicted of additional drug-related offences so his parole was revoked in 2018.
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