An Edmonton man who robbed a local pharmacy twice in the span of just eight days, has been granted statutory release.
Mohamed Ismail Arafa robbed the Tudor Glen Market Pharmacy twice over the winter holidays between December 2007 and January 2008.
Arafa pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery, two counts of using an imitation firearm – a replica 9-millimetre handgun – as well as one count of uttering a death threat. He fled with cash and opiate narcotics – OxyContin and Endocet – on both occasions.
Arafa is now coming to the end of his five-year prison sentence, which was reduced from seven years through an appeal in 2009.
He has been granted statutory release, a supervised release most offenders are entitled to after serving two-thirds of their sentence. The conditions of his release prohibit him from purchasing or consuming alcohol and drugs, other than prescribed medication and over-the-counter drugs as recommended.
In 2011, Arafa was granted full parole – to serve the rest of his sentence in the community – but it was later revoked after he slipped back into drug use. A parole board report revealed Arafa was offered cocaine at a party and took it. He failed two subsequent drug tests several months later.
Prior to the two robberies, the Edmonton man had no criminal record.
Arafa is currently classified as an offender with a “high reintegration potential” and four out of five offenders with the same recidivism score as him will not commit an indictable offence within three years after release.
The report also states Arafa has “long-standing substance abuse issues and any return to substance abuse will increase your risk in the community.” He has completed two substance abuse programs while in prison.
Arafa indicated to the parole board that he intends to reside with his brother following his release on Saturday, July 13.
