Jailed Montreal mobster, scheduled for release, in limbo after associates killed

The fate of a convictedmobster who's supposed to be released from prison is up in the air after the latest in a series of murders of high-ranking members of the Montreal Mafia.

The Parole Board of Canada is concerned for the safety ofFrancesco Del Balso, a high-ranking associate of the Rizzuto crime familyconvicted of conspiracy to import cocaine and gangsterism.

Parole board documents suggestthat DelBalsois "next on an execution list."

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Despite that Del Balso wants to be released from prison as scheduled.

'Trusted and respected' member of Mafia

Del Balso was arrested as part of the Operation Colise sweep of the Montreal Mafia in 2006.

According to the parole boarddocuments, he recruited and controlled employees at the Port of Montreal and at various airlines to help smuggle cocaine into Canada.

Hewas also a "trusted and respected" member of the Montreal Mafia.

The documents also say that Del Balso ran a successful sports betting operation that provided him a lot of money, and that he admitted to threatening people who didn't pay debts.

Released, then re-arrested

The board says that Del Balso's first years of incarceration were "rather turbulent,"but that he settled down after that.

In February, after serving two thirds of his sentence, Del Balsowas granted statutory release, meaning he was allowed out of prison under a series of strict conditions.

Two weeks after his release, Del Balso's former close associate, Lorenzo Giordano, was killed.

Theboardwas worried for Del Balso's safety, so it suspended his release.

He was re-arrested and sent back to prison.

The board explained the decision to Del Balso, saying it had no choice"since an acquaintance in crimes has been executed in public, sitting in his car with his wife sitting beside him, and information was received to the effect that you were next on the execution list."

The documents show that Del Balso was notconcerned and still wished to be released.

After reviewing the suspension of his release, the parole board decided, in a hearing last Thursday, therisk was reduced and that De Balso could be released again.

The very next day,RoccoSollecito, a reputed member of theRizzutocrime family,was gunned down in Laval.

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What now?

It's not clear how Sollecito's death will affect Del Balso, given that the last time one of his associates was killed he was sent back to prison.

It's not even clear if he's been released since last Thursday's hearing.

In an email to CBC News, a spokesperson for the Correctional Service of Canada, Jean-Yves Roy, said he can't comment on Del Balso's status because of privacy legislation.

"Hence, I cannot tell you where Mr. Del Balso is at this moment," Roy said.