A 25-year-old man affiliated with the Blood Family Mafia is in hospital after he was tortured on July 24 at the Quebec City detention centre.
Maxime Maheux was sentenced to five years in prison two weeks ago after pleading guilty to several charges related to arson and assault.
In court, he admitted to being associated with the Blood Family Mafia gang and Radio-Canada reported that he had collaborated with police.
The attack that left Maheux hospitalized last week was clearly an “act of barbarism” by the street gang on one of its own, said Mathieu Lavoie, president of the union representing Quebec’s correctional officers.
He says among his severe injuries, Maheux’s fingers were broken and he was stabbed several times.
“[He] was disfigured to such an extent that the officers couldn’t recognize him. He had to name himself,” said Lavoie.
Provincial police confirmed there was an altercation and says its major crimes unit is investigating. A spokesperson says no arrests have been made and no one’s life is currently in danger.
Gangs are ‘settling scores’
Lavoie says the number of street gang members incarcerated across Quebec poses challenges for safety.
Coupled with an overcrowded correctional system, he says it’s difficult to keep gang members properly separated.
“At the moment, that’s just about impossible.… Given that our establishments are full to bursting,” said Lavoie.
“What we’ve been noticing for months is extreme violence inside the walls, extreme intimidation by gangs, whether in Quebec City, Montreal or other establishments.”
He says this particular incident occurred within a cell where inmates are out of sight of cameras.
“We’re seeing it right now, gangs settling scores,” he said. “The violence we see on the outside is transferred to the inside.”
Weapons, phones delivered by drone
He says Quebec’s Public Security Ministry needs to separate gang members from one another and retake control of these establishments.
“Our leaders have never been so disconnected from the reality of what’s going on inside our prisons,” said Lavoie.
“Clearly, we need to find solutions. And one of the solutions is to invest in our infrastructures.”
He says some inmates receive contraband by drone which can even deliver material such as phones and weapons straight to their windows.
“We intercept some, but it’s not the majority,” said Lavoie. “You have to understand that it’s lucrative for street gangs, for organized crime to traffic inside prisons.”
In an emailed statement, the Public Security Ministry said safety in prisons is a priority.
“We are continually working to maintain and implement various measures, technological and otherwise, to make detention facilities safer for both inmates and staff,” read the statement.