Former group home worker sentenced to 6.5 years for sexually abusing non-verbal adults in his care

WARNING: This story contains details of sexual abuse.

Brent Gabona has been sentenced to 6.5 years in prison for sexually assaulting five group home residents who were in his care.

The crimes occurred more than two decades ago, during Gabona's time of employment at Shepherd's Villa, a group home for adults with intellectual disabilities, in Hepburn, Sask., from 1992 to 2009.

He targeted people who were non-verbal because he knew they could not report the abuse.

The accused sexually abused all of the victims in their home, and they — and their families — had a right to expect they would be safe and secure in that home,said Justice Bruce Bauer on Wednesday in Rosthern, Sask., as he delivered Gabona's sentence.

"They were all vulnerable and in no position to resist."

During the sentencing hearing held last October, Crown prosecutor Lana Morelli said Gabona should spend 15 years in prison, arguing the crimes have had a significant and lasting impact.

Gabona's lawyer, Jordan Durant, argued 6.5 years was appropriate, noting Gabona was considered a low risk to reoffend, had the support of his community and family, including his wife of 32 years and children.

Bauer determined that appropriate prison sentence for Gabona would be 112 months, or roughly nine years, for his sexual abuse against five victims.  However, the courts have to abide by the "totality principal" when dealing with 
consecutive sentences, meaning the total length of time served must still be considered just and proportionate.

With that in mind, Bauer sentenced Gabona to 6.5 years in the Saskatchewan Penitentiary.

A confession to police

Gabona's victims were discharged from Shepherd's Villa because of "behavioural" issues. However, Gabona's own actions were not scrutinized until he confessed to police in 2022.

Court heard Gabona was hired at the group home after he graduated from Briercrest Biblical College in 1991.  His mother hired him to work at Shepherd's Villa in 1992, even though she knew he had been put on probation earlier that year for committing a sexual offence against a minor earlier that year.

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Gabona was a carehome worker, who helped residents directly, at Shepherd's Villa and eventually became a supervisor.

As a care-aid, he assisted adults living with severe intellectual disabilities. Gabona's victims depended on him to help them bathe, eat, dress and get around.

Gabona told police he had started to become aroused while helping male residents bathe or shower, but didn't act on his impulses until he knew he could carry out the abuse undetected.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault and two counts of sexual exploitation of a person with disabilities.

The sexual abuse occurred with all victims multiple times, and escalated over time.

An escalation of abuse 

He confessed to grooming three male victims over an extended period of time, escalating the nature of the sexual assaults even as he was pushed away. The abuse against his female victims was more "sporadic" in nature.

Gabona claims he only stopped offending once he discovered porn on the internet.

He disclosed the crimes in 2022, first telling his wife, then his doctor and then police, because "his faith and guilt weighed upon him."

Justice Bauer considered Gabona's remorse, his guilty plea, his commitment to faith and the fact that this case would not have come before the courts had he not confessed as mitigating factors.

Brent Gabona has pleaded guilty to sex crimes against group home residents. (Brent Gabona/Facebook)

On the other hand, Gabona was in a position of trust, sober and harmed his victims to satisfy his personal urges. He also waited to begin the abuse until he was certain he could do it undetected, Bauer said.

The victims were chosen because of their particular vulnerability and dependency, Gabona engaged in grooming behaviour, the assaults were a breach of trust and involved multiple occasions and victims.