'They failed me': Man who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2020 now wanted by police again

A man who pleaded guilty in the 2018 shooting death of a man in Cambridge is now the subject of a police search, just months after being released from prison.

Adam De-Gannes, 29, was released in July after serving his sentence for the death of Bradley Pogue.

In 2020, he was sentenced to six years minus time served.

Waterloo regional police say he’s now wanted for multiple alleged criminal offences, including two robberies.

'NOTHING HAS CHANGED'

Pogue’s mom, Hayley Schultz, is calling it a failure by the Canadian justice system.

“I had high hopes that [Adam] would change his life and I really thought that he would take the opportunities that his family had given him, and unfortunately he hasn’t,” Schultz said Friday.

“They failed Adam’s family, they failed me and they failed my family. These are the repercussions of that failure. Here we sit today, just over five years after Bradley was murdered, and nothing has changed.”

Schultz said from what she understands, De-Gannes was released without conditions.

“I can’t help Bradley but I will fight for the rest of my life for change, and that starts with the justice system and really taking a look at how criminals are being released back into society with no support at all,” Schultz said.

Adam De-Gannes, seen in a photo from police. (Submitted/WRPS)

POGUE’S DEATH

During De-Ganne’s sentencing hearing in 2020, court heard details about the night Pogue died.

The 24-year-old was shot and killed in a Cambridge plaza. The agreed statement of facts showed that De-Gannes acknowledged his involvement, but said he did not intend for Pogue to be killed.

Court heard that De-Gannes was addicted to opioids, was a daily user of fentanyl, and sold small amounts of opiates to support his habit. He reportedly had a number of customers upset over him selling them bad product. He also owed money to several people, including the person charged with second-degree murder in Pogue's death – Peter Bouctsis.

The agreed statement of facts said De-Gannes arranged a drug deal so Bouctsis could rob the seller of the marijuana using a firearm.

Court heard that De-Gannes arranged to meet Pogue at the plaza. Pogue's brother, Codi, came with him because he was worried about Bradley getting robbed.

Pogue died from a gunshot wound to the head. De-Gannes took off on foot immediately after the shooting. De-Gannes was not the shooter.

SYMPATHY FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED

As Schultz continues to grapple with the loss of her son, who left behind a young daughter, she said she feels sad for De-Gannes’ mother. She said the two have been in touch periodically over the last five years.

“Honestly, my first thought was for his mom,” she said when asked for her reaction to the news of the recent police search for De-Gannes.

“She’s a really decent lady and she doesn’t deserve what’s going on.”

Schultz continues to wait to find out the next step in Peter Bouctsis’ attempted appeal for his second-degree murder sentence.

As she continues to work toward change in the justice system, including tougher sentences, she keeps her son’s memory alive.

“The courageous, relentless, brave, fearless, protective brother, father and son that he was,” she said.

“He will forever remain my son and I will forever remain his mom, and I will forever fight for justice for all the Bradleys and Bradleys’ moms and dads out there that struggle for justice. His legacy will live on.”

CRIMINOLOGIST WEIGHS IN

Sarah Turnbull, an assistant professor in the University of Waterloo’s department of sociology and legal studies, said reoffending can be common if people don’t receive the supports they need while in prison or when they’re released.

While she’s not familiar with this case, she said generally speaking, it highlights a gap in the justice system.

“I think we have a reliance on imprisonment as a way to solve social problems, whether they’re related to addictions or mental health issues or lack of housing or lack of job opportunities,” Turnbull said.

“It’s been well documented by the Office of the Correctional Investigator that conditions in confinement during those COVID-19 times were exceptionally difficult, people did not have access to programming or all the things that they would normally need or be entitled to in a regular time.”

Turnbull said there are social structure issues that need to be addressed when it comes to the rehabilitation and re-entry of people who have committed crimes.

“Often it’s not meeting those needs or addressing those issues. And sadly, for a lot of people, they end up right back where they were prior, which is a sad issue and raises bigger questions of what kind of a society we want to live in,” she said.