A man convicted last week of sexual offences involving a 15-year-old Abbotsford girl has been deported to the United States.
Jason "Booda" Reise, 35, pleaded guilty last Monday in Chilliwack Supreme Court to sexual interference and communicating via a computer to lure a child under the age of 16.
He was sentenced to one year in prison, but was given double credit for the six months he had already served, and was released on Wednesday.
Abbotsford Police Const. Kevin Murray said Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) reps were waiting at the prison and took him into custody. Reise did not know the agents would be there, Murray said.
He was then driven across the border, where he was arrested by U.S. marshals for parole violations in Pennsylvania.
Reise, who is a U.S. citizen, did not report for supervision – one of his parole conditions – after completing a jail term in 2004 for burglary and other property offences.
Murray said it's not clear how Reise was allowed into Canada, but there would have been "a bit of a mix-up at the border."
Reise's parents, who adopted him from California, live in Abbotsford.
Under Pennsylvania law, anyone who is convicted of an offence after absconding parole must re-serve their previous sentence. Reise will receive additional time for the parole violation.
"I am over-the-moon happy that we got rid of a convicted sex offender from our community," Murray said.
Also pleased was the victim's stepfather, who can't be named in order to protect the identity of the teen.
He said although it was disappointing last week to know that Reise was being released from prison after serving only six months, it was a relief to hear he would be sent back to the U.S.
"When I received the word about him being deported ... I was just lost for words. I couldn't have been any more ecstatic."
The stepdad reported Reise to the Abbotsford Police in 2009 after he discovered his stepdaughter had been chatting with him online. He then used "spy" software to obtain her passwords and accessed the messages, some of which he printed off and gave to police.
After Reise was charged, the stepdad researched his past and discovered he was listed on the "absconders wanted list" for Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole. He then informed Murray, who let U.S. authorities know that Reise was in Abbotsford.
The stepfather said his stepdaughter is to be commended for being prepared to testify against Reise, who pleaded guilty on what was supposed to be the first day of his trial.
"I have so much admiration for her," he said.
He added that Murray and Crown counsel Rhian Opel also deserve praise for pursuing the case and ensuring it reached its conclusion.
"At the end of the day, I'm happy he (Reise) has been caught and he's not going to hurt any more kids."