Summerland, B.C. sex offender ‘Eddie Spaghetti’ granted day parole

The former Summerland, B.C., lifeguard known as “Eddie Spaghetti” has been granted day parole, just a few years after pleading guilty to a series of sex crimes against children.

Edward Casavant, 58, pleaded guilty in July 2019 to possession of child pornography, secretly observing/recording nudity in a private place, sexual exploitation of a person with a disability and making or publishing child pornography.

He was sentenced in January 2020 to six years in prison less one year for time served.

In a report released Wednesday, the Parole Board of Canada said it had lingering concerns about Casavant’s impending release, and he’s still at “an above average risk to re-offend” but rehabilitative work on his part has worked in his favour.

“The Board finds that you take accountability for your offenses, demonstrate insight into your risk factors, have made progress through programs and engagement with Indigenous culture and Elders, and have a release plan that includes structures, supports, and accountability,” reads the parole board document addressed to Casavant.

“This information is sufficient for the board to determine that you will not present an undue risk to society if released on day parole and that your release will contribute to the protection of society by facilitating your reintegration into society as a law-abiding citizen.”

Casavant will be released to a community residential facility in a different geographic area from where he committed the offences, the board said.

There, he will have some community support from a sibling and will be able to access further support aimed at rehabilitating sex offenders.

To maintain his freedoms, Casavant faces a number of restrictions, most of which ban him from being in the presence of or even communicating with children under the age of 16 years old.

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He’s also not to be near, or around where children under the age of 16 years are likely to congregate such as daycares, elementary and secondary schools, parks and playgrounds, swimming pools and recreational centres. He is also restricted from the internet and pornography.

“You have been diagnosed as a pedophile and as having mood/personality disorders that likely contributed to your offending. The psychologist assessed that you pose an above average risk to re-offend sexually and recommended further sex offender programming and treatment for mental health issues,” reads the report.

“Also you have not yet been able to test the skills you have learned to manage your risk outside of the institutional setting and require additional treatment and close monitoring from professionals in order to manage your risk to re-offend”.

At the time of his arrest, police said Casavant had been employed as a lifeguard for more than 30 years, beginning in the late 1980s. Investigators said he used his position of trust to gain access to school-aged children.

Casavant also volunteered as a lifeguard at various local summer camps and other community events, and RCMP said he may have had access to children in this capacity. His employment at the Summerland Aquatic Centre came to an end shortly after the police investigation began.

According to the parole board, he was brought to the attention of the authorities in 2018 when he purchased a new computer, and left his old computer at the store so staff could transfer his files.

They alerted police when they identified a file with a concerning name and police determined that the video was child pornography.

“Police obtained and executed warrants to seize all of (his) devices,” the parole board said. “When they went to (his) residence, they found that one of (his) computers was being reformatted and wiped and they speculated that you deleted further evidence of child pornography.”

Police located 275 child pornography videos on his devices depicting the sexual offences being committed against children ranging from infants to 10 year old boys.

Additionally, the parole board said,  they found 30 voyeurism videos, which it concluded were made with a spy camera inside the change rooms of the swimming pool where he worked. The video included victims, who were boys of six to 10 years old. The date stamps on the videos were from 2008 to 2016.

Police also found four videos of a developmentally delayed boy being assaulted by Casavant.