Randall Hopley, a convicted sex offender in Vancouver, pleaded guilty on Friday to three criminal charges related to fleeing a halfway house in 2023. Hopley had been missing for ten days after cutting off his electronic monitoring device and violating court conditions. He was apprehended by an off-duty Vancouver police officer outside a police station.
During his court appearance, Hopley admitted guilt to failing to attend court, violating a long-term supervision order by being in the presence of children under 16, and failing to comply with a long-term supervision order by not residing at a community residential facility.
Hopley’s criminal history includes the abduction of a three-year-old boy in 2011, for which he served a six-year prison sentence. Upon his release in 2018, he was placed under a 10-year long-term supervision order, which included residing at a halfway house with overnight leave privileges subject to approval from his parole supervisor.
Despite Hopley’s previous breaches and the November incident where he was unlawfully at large, federal officials declined to revoke his overnight leave privileges. This decision sparked criticism from B.C. Premier David Eby, who expressed concerns about the system that allows Hopley to be repeatedly released into the community, putting children at risk.
According to the parole board, Hopley has been diagnosed with pedophilia, borderline intellectual functioning, and a personality disorder. He has had his release suspended four times since 2019 for breaching conditions or exhibiting aggressive behavior. Halfway house staff have also discovered sex toys, adult pornography, and sim cards in his possession. Hopley has been assessed as a high risk to reoffend sexually and a moderate risk for other types of offenses. He has repeatedly demonstrated problems with self-control, including a history of angry outbursts directed at staff and his parole supervisor.
