Dangerous offender with 'deviant sexual preferences' should be charged, parole board recommends

A dangerous offender with “deviant sexual preferences for sexual contact with pubescent and/or prepubescent individuals and a fetishistic disorder (specifically towards female undergarments)” who was released from prison last year on a long-term supervision order could be in line for another decade behind bars if the Parole Board of Canada gets its way. Halifax Regional Police labelled Harvey Joseph Venus a high-risk sexual offender when he got out of prison in February 2024 on statutory release, the law that requires federal offenders who have served two-thirds of a fixed-length sentence be released under supervision. He was ordered to stay at what’s dubbed a community correctional centre in the Halifax area. This past February, Venus was caught allegedly driving without a license in a car with a stolen registration sticker on the plate. His passenger allegedly had cocaine on him and Venus told the parole board he’d been shot at some point, though he wouldn’t elaborate. Nor could he explain the second cellphone police found in the car. His case was back before the parole board two weeks ago so it could make a decision about the suspension of Venus’ long-term supervision, ordered by a judge. “The board believes that by resuming the (long-term supervision order) you would pose a substantial risk to society,” said his recent parole decision. “Your profile allows minimal room for error. As it stands, the board does not believe there is an appropriate program of supervision that can be established that would adequately protect society from the risk of your reoffending. It believes that a breach has occurred.” As a consequence, the board recommended Venus be charged with failing or refusing to comply with his long-term supervision order, which according to the Criminal Code is “punishable by imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years.” When it recommends charges, “the Correctional Service of Canada shares the board’s decision along with relevant documents with the Attorney General’s office, who will then decide whether to proceed with laying charges,” Daniel Saulnier, who speaks for the parole board, said Wednesday in an email. Venus, 39, is currently serving an eight-year long-term supervision order, said his parole decision, released Wednesday. “Initially convicted and sentenced to a four-year sentence for sexual interference of a person under 16, you were subsequently designated as a dangerous offender,” the parole board said. “The (long-term supervision order) was an option to the court versus an indefinite prison sentence.” The order forbids Venus from having contact with children. That began in February 2022, but Venus was sent back to prison three months later for 10 more months after authorities learned he was dating a woman with a child and lied to her about his criminal history of sexually abusing kids. Venus completed that sentence a year ago and returned to long-term supervision. Venus was also convicted in 2005 for using scissors to cut the underwear off a 14-year-old girl. His “extensive criminal history” included “domestic violence where you have hit, pushed, and/or choked victims. Past sexual assaults have included a male and a female victim,” said the parole board. It noted Venus has “a poor history of conditional release.” His statutory release was briefly revoked last April when Venus was caught with “sexually explicit” movies. He had also failed to disclose a relationship with a woman to his handlers and accessed the internet via a mobile phone, contrary to his release conditions. His long-term supervision order is set to expire Dec. 8, 2030. A December 2023 psychological risk assessment found Venus “met the diagnosis for psychopathy, antisocial personality disorder, pedophilic disorder and six sub-types for sexual predators.” The Correctional Service of Canada describes Venus “as impulsive and manipulative with a tendency to use instrumental and emotional violence on intimate partners.” This past February, the parole board ordered him to stay at the community correctional centre for another year. Venus was wearing an electronic monitoring device and had “started rebuilding relationships with family members,” said the parole board. “You disclosed a friendship with a female that turned into a relationship, which appeared healthy. She was made aware of your history and status.” But “matters came to a head on February 28, 2025, when police saw you driving a motor vehicle despite having no valid driver’s license,” said the parole board. “When stopped, you were accompanied by a male friend believed to be the brother of your then girlfriend. License tags were reportedly stolen and a warrant of suspension and apprehension was issued shortly thereafter. A subsequent search discovered cocaine on the male passenger. A further search discovered a second cell phone. The board is left to speculate whether you were aware of cocaine in your presence.” Charges are pending against Venus for driving without a license, possession of the stolen registration sticker and breaching his long-term supervision order. “You acknowledged the error of purchasing and driving a vehicle without a license. You stated you were stressed as there was renewed media scrutiny around you, you were being harassed by another (community correctional centre) resident and you had become complacent,” said the parole board. “You also mentioned an incident where you claimed to have been shot, which overwhelmed you, but you did not want to provide any more information as you did not want to be moved.” Driving without a license speaks “to honesty and transparency,” said his parole decision. “These two aspects of your behaviour are critical from a risk management perspective. The presence of cocaine in the vehicle and a second phone raises additional questions and aside from denying ownership, little else is known. The board is further concerned over your ability to manage stress. A shooting was referenced, the ending of a relationship and threats from another offender could easily overwhelm your capacity to self-regulate.”

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