Kelowna’s notorious fake social worker handed five years – free after 15 months
A former Kelowna social worker who bilked Indigenous youth in his care out of nearly half a million dollars is edging toward a full parole.
Robert Riley Saunders, 53, is described in Parole Board of Canada documents as something of a model inmate and a good candidate for a future crime-free life. He has already been granted day parole, after spending 15 months in prison.
He was sentenced in July 2022 to five years incarceration for fraud, forgery, and breach of trust. He had taken $462,385 that his employer, the Ministry of Children and Families, believed was going to youth in his care. Saunders used the money mainly to fund an extravagant lifestyle.
Saunders’ case was reviewed by the parole board on April 8 and the decision was to grant Saunders a hearing for a full parole within three months.
The Parole Board of Canada says assessments have concluded that Saunders is a low-risk to re-offend. Since being granted day parole last fall, Saunders has found work with a property development and landscaping firm, goes to counselling, volunteers at an animal shelter, and is respectful to his parole officer, the board says.
“Since your release, you have been communicating regularly with, and are respectful towards, your parole supervisor, and do not deny, minimize, or justify your criminal behaviour,” the board’s decision states.
“You are actively involved in your correctional plan and stay busy with work, personal counselling and volunteering. Your sister and brother-in-law continue to be your main community supports.
“You have accepted responsibility for your actions, you have recognized your problems, and displayed guilt and victim empathy, with evidence indicating a low level of cognitive distortions.
“You have not displayed any high-risk behaviour on day parole that would suggest you have returned to your offence cycle. Your case management team indicated you have shown you can abide by expectations on a less monitored release and appear to be on the right path to a full parole,” the board states.
The Correctional Services of Canada has recommended Saunders be granted full parole.
Parole board members say that while Saunders has demonstrated “positive progress” they also have several concerns. These include the fact that his fraudulent activity spanned two decades, and he “exploited the most vulnerable population through your position of trust”.
At the upcoming full parole hearing, board members will want to get “clarity on the benefit” of the counselling Saunders has received, and to examine in more detail his full parole release plan.
Saunders was sentenced on July 26, 2022. In court, it emerged that he had lied about being qualified to be a social worker, presenting forged university documents.
He opened joint accounts with 24 youths in his care, most of them Indigenous, and then taking their benefits.
The provincial government settled a class-action lawsuit with more than 100 people who said they were victims of Saunders in the long-running scheme that was not discovered until his regular supervisor went on vacation in 2017 and her replacement noticed irregularities in Saunders’ paperwork.
Compensation amounts ranged from $25,000, and some victims received “elevated damages” of up to $250,000 who, because of Riley’s acts or omissions, suffered sexual exploitation, psychological harm, homelessness, educational delay, and/or bodily harm.
In November 2018, a 17-year-old girl contacted The Daily Courier to say she was among Riley’s victims. The girl said he occasionally gave her food vouchers of between $60 and $120, which she later realized was only a fraction of what she should have received.
“I didn’t think anything of it; I was 14 or 15 at the time,” the girl said.
Saunders was released from prison on day parole on Oct. 16, 2023. He is living with his sister.