High-risk sex offender back in custody after being granted leave privileges

A high-risk offender with a history of sex crimes against children and domestic violence, who was recently granted leave privileges from a halfway house, is back in custody and facing new charges that could carry up to 10 years in prison, according to a parole board decision.

Harvey Joseph Venus, 39, a designated dangerous offender about whom Saint John and Halifax police have both issued alerts, has had his long-term supervision order suspended by the Correctional Service of Canada.

"Matters came to a head" on Feb. 28 — just 17 days after the Parole Board of Canada granted Venus leave privileges to assist his gradual reintegration into the community, says the parole decision dated April 17. Halifax police spotted him driving a vehicle, when he didn't have a valid driver's licence.

When officers pulled him over, they allegedly discovered cocaine on his male passenger and that the licence plate sticker was stolen. They also found a second cellphone, although Venus was not allowed to own or possess more than one.

"Police have indicated that charges are pending for operating a vehicle without a [licence], possession of stolen property related to the [licence] plate sticker and a [long-term supervision order] breach," according to the document released Wednesday.

In an interview after he was back in custody, Venus "acknowledged the error of purchasing and driving a vehicle without a [licence]," the statement says.

Venus also told officials about an alleged incident when he was shot, which he said "overwhelmed" him. He declined to provide any details, indicated he was being harassed by another halfway house resident and said he was stressed about "renewed media scrutiny" regarding his case.

While all this "pales in comparison to [his] criminal history and past acts of non-compliance," the lone parole board member who reviewed Venus's case has recommended he be charged with breaching his long-term supervision order.

Such an order is imposed by a judge during sentencing to extend the length of time the Correctional Service of Canada supervises an offender in the community beyond the completion of their regular sentence.

'Would pose a substantial risk to society'

Venus was originally sentenced to four years in prison for sexual interference involving a girl under the age of 16 in Nova Scotia. He inappropriately touched the victim and took pictures her, while reportedly using an alias because of his sexual offence history, according to parole documents.

The sentencing judge tacked on an eight-year long-term supervision order, with a number of special conditions related to contact with children under 18, relationships and treatment, which Venus began serving in February 2022.

Your profile allows minimal room for error.- Parole Board of Canada decision

"Violations of your [long-term supervision order] have been far too common over the past number of years," the latest parole decision says.

"The board believes that by resuming the [order] you would pose a substantial risk to society.

"Your profile allows minimal room for error."

Deviant sexual preferences, fetishistic disorder

Venus's "extensive criminal history" includes sexual assaults against a male and female victim and domestic violence, where he has "hit, pushed, and/or choked victims," the board member noted.

He suffered "extremely difficult developmental years," including physical and sexual abuse, severe neglect, poverty, and being exposed to substance abuse and domestic violence. While he has completed a number of programs, "unravelling that past will prove a tall order."

Psychiatric assessments have concluded he suffers from "deviant sexual preferences for sexual contact with pubescent and/or prepubescent individuals and a fetishistic disorder (specifically towards female undergarments)."

As of December 2023, Venus met the diagnosis for psychopathy, antisocial personality disorder, pedophilic disorder and six sub-types for sexual predators, according to the report.

His risk for sexual violence was estimated "in the extremely high-risk range probability."

History of breaches

In addition, Venus has a "poor history of conditional release."

His statutory release on his first federal sentence was suspended after one month and ultimately revoked because his risk was deemed "no longer manageable."

At the end of that sentence, Venus began serving his long-term supervision order in February 2022 at a community correction centre in Saint John.

Within three months, he was back in custody because he violated conditions to have no contact with children and to report any relationships. He'd started dating a woman who had a child, and he lied about his criminal history. He began spending time alone with the child, and when the mother later found out that he was a high-risk sex offender, she contacted police.

Venus was sentenced to two years, which was reduced to 10 months once credit for the time he spent on remand was factored in.

He was released on statutory release to a halfway house on Feb. 1, 2024. But within a month, he breached his conditions and his release was revoked. Officials found sexually explicit movies in his room, learned he failed to disclose a relationship with a female, and discovered he had accessed the internet via a cellphone, according to parole documents.

On April 18, 2024, Venus was released to a halfway house on statutory release again, and when that sentence ended on May 14, 2024, his long-term supervision order resumed.

The board authorized leave privileges in February 2025, but also extended the requirement that he live at a community correctional residential facility for a year.

"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," the latest decision states.

In hands of attorney general

When the parole board decides to recommend a charge, the Correctional Service of Canada shares the board's decision and relevant documents with the attorney general's office, which then decides whether to proceed.

If the Crown decides to proceed with an indictable charge, which is more serious than a summary charge, and Venus is convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison.

As of Thursday, the Nova Scotia public prosecution service's system does not show any matters pending against Venus, said spokesperson JoAnn Alberstat.

Halifax Regional Police cannot confirm if charges are pending against a person, said spokesperson Const. Martin Cromwell.  

But members of the force's high-risk enforcement action team are "in regular communication with parole officers in relation to high-risk offenders and matters related to their supervision," said Cromwell.

Venus has been remanded into federal custody since Feb. 28, he confirmed.

Venus's long-term supervision order is scheduled to expire Dec. 8, 2030.