N.B. man who held woman captive for almost a month in 2010 released on parole

A New Brunswick man who held a woman captive for almost a month in a rooming house in Moncton in 2010 has had special conditions imposed on his statutory release from prison.

In 2011, a jury found Romeo Cormier guilty of kidnapping, sexual assault, forcible confinement, assault with a weapon, robbery and uttering death threats. A judge sentenced him to 18 years in prison.

Under Canadian law, federal offenders who have served two-thirds of their fixed-length sentence must be released from prison under supervision.

In an Aug. 25 decision by the Parole Board of Canada, the board ruled Cormier must reside at a community residential facility and return nightly.

Cormier, now 74, is also not allowed to consume drugs or alcohol or enter a drinking establishment, and he is to have no contact with the victim.

The decision states Cormier has had a long criminal history that began in his 20s and that he committed the majority of his offences while armed.

It also states that while Cormier has “maintained a positive and balanced lifestyle” within the institution, his caseworkers feel it is essential for Cormier to be monitored in a halfway house setting.

The victim, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, testified at the trial that she was abducted at knifepoint on Feb. 26, 2010, outside the shopping mall where she worked.

She was then held in Cormier’s one-room basement apartment where she was gagged and sexually assaulted until she finally had a chance to escape on March 24, 2010.

In a recent written statement to the Parole Board, the victim states she is still afraid of Cormier and never wants to cross his path again.

She asked the board to impose the necessary conditions to ensure that he is closely monitored at all times.