VANCOUVER — Notorious British Columbia gangster Jamie Bacon has been released from a federal prison after serving only six years for his involvement in one of Canada's deadliest gangland slayings.Bacon, 40, the former leader of the violent Red Scorpions gang, pleaded guilty in July 2020 to conspiracy to commit murder in the October 19, 2007, “Surrey Six” killings at a highrise apartment complex. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison for his part in the killings, but saw his sentence reduced to just a few months short of six years, accounting for time already served.The indiscriminate nature of the killings is what left the country shocked. The execution-style slayings left six dead. Among the dead were a young man on his way to a basketball game and a 55-year-old fireplace repairman — both innocent, but killed anyway in an attempt to eliminate any possible witnesses.Bacon was arrested in April 2009 for his part in the crime, with his case dragging through the courts for more than a decade.His first-degree murder charges were stayed in 2017 and then reinstated on appeal. He ultimately struck a plea deal that dropped the more serious offences in favour of the conspiracy charges and was sentenced to six years..In 2024, the Parole Board of Canada denied Bacon statutory release after he had served two-thirds of his sentence, citing his “high risk for violence.” A psychological assessment completed in November 2025 described him as likely to commit an offence causing death or serious harm before the end of his sentence. The board upheld the detention order in January 2026.Bacon had continued to engage in criminal behaviour and gang-related activity while behind bars, the board noted.Jamie’s brother, Jonathan, was killed on August 14, 2011, in a daytime gangland shooting outside the Delta Grand Hotel in Kelowna.His other brother, Jarrod, was convicted in May 2012 of conspiracy to traffic cocaine after authorities intercepted his attempt to import roughly 100 kilograms of the drug. He received a 14-year federal sentence, which means his sentence was also set to complete this year.Jarrod had already been released on parole or statutory release multiple times, but those releases were frequently revoked for violations including drug use, associating with criminals and bar fights. He was successfully paroled in August 2020.In late January 2025, he was re-arrested in Fort Nelson in connection with a shooting, but those charges were ultimately stayed and he is now believed to be living in the Lower Mainland out of custody as well.
