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An alleged member of the Sicilian side of the Montreal Mafia has been denied parole while he serves a three-year sentence for stabbing a man during a fight outside a bar in Old Montreal on Aug. 1, 2020.
Nicola Spagnolo, 49, had a hearing before the Parole Board of Canada more than a week ago and the two board members who heard his case decided to deliberate on the matter. Their decision was made on Nov. 8 and The Gazette obtained a copy on Tuesday.
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“After careful analysis of the information in your file and that was shared at the hearing, the board denies day parole and full parole. It is the board’s opinion that you will present an undue risk to society if released on day parole or full parole and that your release will not contribute to the protection of society by facilitating your reintegration into society as a law-abiding citizen,” the board wrote.
“In addition, an affiliation to Italian organized crime is active in your file since July 2024, which you deny. According to official information, you are affiliated to the Rizzuto-Sollecito clan.
“The board must also note the information from Correctional Service Canada that says you are tied to organized crime, despite your statements to the contrary. You admit that you know certain people, but you do not feel it should be interpreted that you are affiliated if you merely spend time in their company playing golf, going to weddings and funerals, etc.”
The parole board was also concerned about Spagnolo’s behaviour while behind bars. In October, his case-management team, the people who prepare an offender for a release, “was informed that you were a subject of interest for introduction of contraband via drones. According to the preventive security department, you are part of a team that delivers packages via drones. At the hearing, you said you have no clue where this information comes from. You say you do not need to involve yourself in such activities, as you do not need money or drugs.”
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During his hearing, Spagnolo said he grew up with some people who are tied to the Montreal Mafia, but he denied being involved with it in any manner.
“I’m not saying that I don’t know. I do know (people involved in organized crime.) I don’t see any relation … that I play golf with them or we’re at parties together, that this always has to be connected to organized crime. This is not the first time that I struggle with this,” he told the parole board. “I grew up in my dad’s household. I didn’t grow up in their household. We have the same religion. We have the same culture, but we don’t have the same business or whatever. We do our thing and they do theirs. We don’t ask questions. We don’t care.”
When he was asked questions about the night of the stabbing, Spagnolo said the victim was “was drunk or stoned or both. He started making fun of me by saying: ‘You f–king old man. You think you can do what you want and act how you want. You rich people this and you rich people that’. I said: ‘I think you’re talking to the wrong person. What are you talking about? Where do you come from talking like this?’”
“After I did (the stabbing) and I was walking away, I thought: ‘I can’t believe I did that. What the f–k just happened? Did I really just do that?’ I knew that it was a really bad thing that I did and that I wasn’t getting away with it.”
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