A Vernon man spent one night in jail and was ordered to pay a $500 fine following his most recent arrest on June 6.
Richard Allan Slobodian, 58, appeared in the Vernon courthouse Monday, July 6, to face a charge of failing to comply with a probation order.
Two additional June 10 charges regarding probation and release breaches were stayed by the courts, according to the records.
Slobodian, who is known to police and has a lengthy list of charges and probation breaches dating back to 2014, was allegedly taking photographs of youths at a Coldstream skate park before changing location where he was spotted by an off-duty Vernon North Okanagan RCMP officer on June 6.
The police officer reported the suspicious vehicle that was parked in the area of Creekside Park and was able to identify the driver as Slobodian. The courts have ordered Slobodian not be within 100 metres of any park where a person under the age of 16 may be.
“Given this person was known to police, the off-duty officer continued to follow the vehicle to ensure the safety of the public until marked police units arrived,” RCMP Const. Kelly Brett said June 8.
Vernon and area residents have taken to social media to express their fears around Slobodian’s freedom, saying they are worried about someone being harmed.
Several residents have even posted photographs of Slobodian to various community forums to share his whereabouts.
Photos of the man have appeared in community groups in Lumby, Armstrong, Enderby and Vernon.
BC Crime Watch, a Facebook group with 1,545 users from around B.C., has also posted warnings about Slobodian. The post has been shared on social media more than 1,600 times.
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