‘Potential for violence’: B.C. gangster Jamie Bacon to live in Edmonton after prison release

A notorious B.C. gang leader is out of prison and set to live in Edmonton, a move that's raising public safety concerns by a former police chief.

A notorious B.C. gangster will be living in Edmonton after being released from prison less than six years after he was handed an 18-year sentence.

Jamie Bacon was released with conditions and a curfew after completing his federal prison sentence, B.C.’s Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU-BC) has confirmed.

Kash Heed held various roles in B.C. during the time Bacon and his two brothers were involved in a gang war in the Lower Mainland of B.C., including superintendent with Vancouver Police, chief of the West Vancouver Police Department, and B.C.’s solicitor general.

“From my perspective he should not have been let out,” Heed told CTV News Edmonton on Thursday.

“We’ve got an individual that’s really not held to full account for what happened.”

Surrey Six killings

Bacon pleaded guilty in 2020 to one count of conspiracy to murder Corey Lal in the Surrey Six case.

Lal was one of six people killed on Oct. 19, 2007, in a suite at the Balmoral Tower in Surrey, B.C.

Four of the victims, including Lal, were known gangsters; the other two innocent bystanders.

Edward Schellenberg, a worker who was performing maintenance at the building, and Chris Mohan, a teen who lived across the hall from the suite where the murder happened, also died in the massacre.

“He was one of the lead individuals behind the murders of these people within that apartment,” Heed said.

“Some that were connected to the drug trade and two innocent individuals that were just minding their own business.”

Bacon also pleaded guilty to one count of counselling to commit murder in a separate case involving a non-fatal shooting on New Year’s Eve in 2008.

He served five years and seven months including credit for time served while awaiting trial.

Chris Mohan’s mother is also speaking out about Bacon’s release.

“I believe that Mr. Bacon should have been the person who served the sentence the longest,” Eileen Mohan told CTV News on Wednesday.

“Mr. Bacon was the mastermind behind the Surrey Six killings, and he instructed the three people who came to do the killing that day not to leave any witness behind.”

She believes Bacon will be a danger to the community.

“He’s still a very dangerous offender, and he’s living out there somewhere amongst normal citizens, and the law is such that they can’t hold him back.”

“He’s released by the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law says that each one of us should be protected from people like him.”

Mohan said she could have been at home when the killings happened if she hadn’t unexpectedly been called into work that day.

“Had I stayed home that day, probably I wouldn’t be having an interview with you here today,” she said.

B.C. gang war

Bacon and his brothers, Jonathan and Jarrod, were involved in the Red Scorpion gang. Jamie ultimately rose through the ranks to lead the gang.

“They started out just involved in lower level activities in the Abbotsford area, Fraser Valley area, formed their own gang, led the Red Scorpions, and then wanted to certainly perpetuate their gang activity, their drug activity further,” Heed said.

The Red Scorpions were involved in a gang war in the Lower Mainland of B.C. from 2007 to 2009.

“It was a tense situation between the conflicting gangs, but it was a worrisome situation with the general public to ensure that none of their loved ones were caught in the crossfire,” Heed remembered.

“The chief of Abbotsford [police] at that time actually had a marked police vehicle following around the Bacons wherever they went during their travels. To alert not only the public to the fact that these guys are prone to be involved in violence, but for anyone that may want to take them out.”

Jonathan Bacon was ultimately murdered in a daylight shooting outside the Delta Grand Hotel in Kelowna, B.C., on Aug. 14, 2011.

Next steps

Heed says Bacon may bring baggage from his past with him to Edmonton.

“We’ve seen the phenomenon previously where individuals that have supposedly changed their ways are released from jail. And some time after, or even a short time after they’re taken out,” he said.

“There’s some people that have long memories, some people that want retaliation.”

He says the Edmonton Police Service should issue a warning to the community, the same way they do when a sex offender is released from custody with plans to live in the community.

“We should know what he actually looks like right now, the photos that we seem to have available to look at are dated photos. I think we need to know exactly what he looks like now, and people should be aware of it,” he commented.

“There is a potential for violence in and around this individual.”

EPS says it is aware that news of Bacon’s release has been shared by CFSEU-BC, but says it has no additional information to share at this time.

Dan Jones, the chair of the Justice Studies program at NorQuest College, says Bacon’s arrival in Edmonton brings up a lot of questions.

“Is he coming here because he wants to get away from the life that he had in the Lower Mainland? If he’s doing that, that’s great,” he said.

“Or is his past going to come with him, and then that his criminogenic factors pop up and and then his gang affiliations and his gang life comes to Edmonton, and that can bring some significant violence.”

A spokesperson for Alberta’s ministry of public safety says Bacon is being actively monitored by Alberta Correctional Services.

“Courts have the authority to order high-risk individuals living in the community to wear a GPS enabled ankle bracelet as part of bail, sentencing, or release conditions.

“Electronic monitoring is conducted 24/7, and probation officers maintain regular oversight, including in-person or direct check-in’s as required,” Sheena Campbell wrote.

“Any breaches of court ordered conditions are addressed immediately and involves coordination with local law enforcement.

“Alberta’s electronic monitoring program is designed to support public safety in circumstances where high risk offenders are released from federal correctional centres or as a result of federal policies.”

With files from CTV News and CTV News Edmonton’s Evan Kenny and Angela Amato.