Vancouver’s Hastings Racecourse was a hotbed of corruption long before one provincial inspector got busted for 37 immigration fraud, bribery and bogus licence charges, a Vancouver Provincial Court judge heard Oct. 5.
Now, however, Darren Scott Young, 47, a former inspector with the BC Gaming Policy Enforcement Branch (GPEB), is before Judge Ellen Gordon after pleading guilty to knowingly inducing, aiding or abetting or attempting to induce, aid, abet or counsel Phillip Hall, Cindy Krasner, Barbara Anderson Heads, Mark Cloudier, Melvyn Snow, John Snow, Craig MacPherson and Patricia Jarvis to employ foreign nationals not authorized to work.
Court documents say the situations are an offence under the federal Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
Crown prosecutor Nicholas Elson asked Gordon to sentence Young to six months’ incarceration and 12 months’ probation while defence lawyer Tom Doust is seeking a conditional discharge.
Elson said the offences occurred over two racing seasons.
“This was not a one-time lapse of judgment,” Elson said.
“Mr. Young is a public official,” he later added.
Gordon has yet to sentence Young.
The case
Elson told the judge Young was responsible for getting the licences for the workers, and putting together documentation that would be forwarded to GPEB officials in Victoria.
Elson said applications would list the Mexican nationals as horse owners as they would not require work permits. He said once Victoria officials approved the documentation, Young would change ‘owner’ to ‘groom’ and issue the licence.
However, when Canada Border Services Agency did an investigation in August 2019, the situation was discovered.
Most of the Mexicans are no longer in Canada, Gordon heard.
Elson said Young made between $693 and $700 for each transaction.
Doust, however, said Young made nothing.
Doust said Young was hired as an inspector in 2005 and found himself dealing with a corrupt situation already in place.
"This milieu at the racetrack preceded his involvement," the defence lawyer said.
Doust said stewards run the racetrack, and that serious problems Young encountered and reported to them went undealt with.
"The stewards told him, 'You’re not an immigration worker, give these guys licences,'" Doust said. "He feared losing his job."
"One guy directed him to do exactly what he’s charged with," Doust said, noting those stewards were managers and part of the GPEB.
"He did what he was told to do," Doust said. "That was his folly. That was his error."
Further, Doust said, even if the applications had ‘owner’ on them, the place for a horse’s name to be entered would be left blank.
Doust said the scrutiny in Victoria was "next to nil."
"Mr. Young is the scapegoat," he said.
The allegations
The original allegations in the court documents charged Young with inducing, aiding or abetting or counselling Barbara Anderson Heads and Phillip Hall to violate the IRPA by hiring Cristhian Hernandez Barreto and Fernando Carapia Sepulveda without authorization under the act.
The actions are alleged to have occurred in Vancouver May 11, 2018 to Aug. 19, 2019.
Between May 8 and Aug. 19, 2019, it’s alleged Young committed the same offence relating to Hall employing Oscar Navarro Caravantes.
Between April 25, 2019 and Aug. 19, 2019, it’s alleged Young committed the same offence in Vancouver relating to Cindy Krasner employing Juan Bedollo Orozco.
The same charge is alleged relating to Melvyn Snow and Barbara Anderson Heads employing Jesus Lemus Garcia with event dates between May 11, 2019 and Aug. 19, 2019.
Between March and August 2019, it’s alleged Young violated IRPA in relation to Mark Cloutier employing Jesus Garcia Barragan, Adan Cruz Villegas and Giovanni Lopez Cruz.
Between May 4 and Aug. 19, 2019, it’s alleged Young violated IRPA in relation to Snow employing Fern Sandoval Rubalcava.
Between May 8 and Aug. 19, 2019, it’s alleged Young violated IRPA in relation to John Snow and Melvyn Snow employing Alfredo Orozco Diaz.
Between May 4 and Aug. 19, 2019, it’s alleged Young violated IRPA in relation to Snow employing Penelope Rivera Covarrubias.
Between March 29 and Aug, 19, 2019, it’s alleged Young violated IRPA in relation to Craig MacPherson employing Moises Maldonado Romero.
Between March and Aug. 19, 2019, it’s alleged Young violated IRPA in relation to Patricia Jarvis employing Brandon Carrion Gomez and Elizabet Calderon.
Between June 13 and Aug. 19, 2019, it’s alleged Young violated IRPA in relation to Robert Maybin employing Juan Medina Vilada.
Accepting a benefit
It’s alleged that Young received the following benefits from people having dealings with the branch without consent from the director of BC Gaming Policy Enforcement Branch:
- $695 from Krasner;
- $2,085 from Cloutier;
- $695 from Heads;
- $750 from Barragan;
- $693 from MacPherson, and;
- $695 from Jarvis
Multiple people mentioned in court records are connected with racing at Hastings racecourse.
