Man given probation, no contact

A Winnipeg man was given probation after confronting his ex at a meeting last year, breaching a no-contact order.

Michael Brian Parago, 47, originally from Thompson, pleaded guilty at provincial court in Steinbach on July 26 for failing to comply with a release order by contacting his ex.

Crown attorney Jennifer Neufeld said that on Sep. 18, 2023, at around 5:30 p.m. the victim reported an incident to Steinbach RCMP to report his breach, as she had brought his children to the Child and Family Services (CFS) office in Steinbach. Parago was scheduled for a phone call with his children, but went to the office anyway and approached the victim outside the centre while recording with his phone, and later posting the video to TikTok.

The victim told Parago to leave before giving a statement to the RCMP. He was arrested two days later, with police describing him as being uncooperative.

Parago had another previous conviction, mischief on May 3, 2023. Shortly after Parago and the victim broke up, he went to the victim’s house, banged on doors, and rattled doorknobs for around 15 minutes.

Neufeld said the children were afraid when it happened, and she called the police to get him to leave, before they also left the home, afraid that he would return to the property.

The basis of the mischief charge was that it was interference with her enjoyment of the property. He was convicted through trial on May 10 this year where he also had a fitness assessment done. He was found fit and released with a no-contact order and an order not to go to La Broquerie, where the victim lived at the time.

Parago spent nine days in custody because of the May 2023 offence, and returned to custody in November 2023 for other charges, where he stayed until July 4.

Neufeld said CFS removed Parago’s children, who are 7 and 13, and put them into the care of the victim who had no relation to the children, other than having dated their father.

Before that, Parago made several comments on TikTok against CFS, the police, and the victim.

The victim gave an impact statement in court last Friday, describing how Parago has affected her.

“The last almost 18 months of my life have been the most painful, terrible and traumatic in my life,” the victim said. “The actions of Michael Brian Parago have caused so much fear, stress, anxiety and grief, and it was hard for me to end a long-term relationship where I endured extreme emotional, psychological, mental and verbal abuse. But his post-relationship abuse continued from there, I was terrified of this man, and wanted nothing to do with him, and I want zero contact.”

“I felt extremely unsafe around him, I felt my privacy was violated, and I felt I was exposed to danger. I was absolutely terrified he would return again.”

The victim said that she has had trauma and sleepless nights because of what Parago did, having to see doctors to return to normal.

“I just want to live my life in peace, I just want him to leave me alone. I want to feel safe again, and I do not currently feel safe because of him, what he did is not OK.”

Neufeld asked for 20 days of custody, along with 12 months of unsupervised probation, with no contact with the victim.

Defence attorney Nate Moeller said that his client wasn’t aware that the victim was at the CFS offices, although he says that he shouldn’t have confronted her.

“He is here expressing and accepting responsibility. He is showing remorse, and is saving the court time by not having (the victim) testify,” Moeller said.

Moeller also said that Parago had been a law-abiding citizen for 46 years and that his having seven months behind bars was unfair, and not a just punishment.

Parago also spoke to the judge, admitting that what he did was wrong.

“When I saw (the victim) in September at CFS, I didn’t know she was going to be there, I should have turned around and walked away, that is on me,” said Parago.

Judge Kusham Sharma gave Parago a 12-month suspended sentence with unsupervised probation, along with no contact with the victim. Costs and surcharges were waived, noting his lack of employment and having just gotten out of jail.

“She’s made it very clear that this has had a significant impact on her, she needs to put this behind her, you need to put this behind you,” Sharma said.