Killing over spilled milk: High-risk pedophile sentenced to five more years for killing 67-year-old in prison

Convicted U.S. sex offender Philippe Poisson was caring for Dennis Harley at Kent Institution but Harley's harassment triggered violence

Given the way Dennis James Harley's behaved behind bars at Kent Institution, it's almost surprising he lasted as long as he did harassing fellow inmates, corrections officers, sending threats to cause death or bodily harm to judges, MPs, cops, parole officers, even victims he had met through chaplaincy while incarcerated.

The 67-year-old was a belligerent inmate of the highest order who finally took his bad attitude a step too far with a younger high-risk pedophile who was taking care of him because of his various health issues: diabetes, hypertension, back pain, and he was using a walker as a medical device.

After several days of growing verbal abuse from Harley in July 2024, it was when the older man threw a cup of milk at Poisson from behind that triggered the younger man. Poisson struck Harley on top of his head. Harley fell to the ground and Poisson then delivered a blow to the back of Harley's head and kicked him in the right temple with his bare foot, according to an agreed statement of facts between Crown counsel and Poisson's lawyer Jenna Paik.

Poisson pleaded guilty to manslaughter last June and was sentenced in Chilliwack provincial court last Friday (Jan. 9, 2026). He was also sentenced that day to two unrelated counts of assaulting a peace officer from April 2024 that he pleaded guilty to on Dec. 11, 2025. His sentence for the manslaughter was five years and 70 days. He also received two six-month sentences each for the assaults on corrections officers.

At maximum security Kent Institution, Poisson and Harley were housed in a therapeutic unit for inmates with extra needs. Poisson's "extra needs" were not made clear in court, but Harley had several medical issues that Poisson helped him with.

"Mr. Poisson acted as a caregiver to Mr. Harley," the court was told when he pleaded guilty last June. "Mr. Poisson spent a significant part of his day playing cards with him, attending chapel."

However, Harley was prone to angry outbursts at Poisson and other inmates. In the days leading up to the killing, Harley called Poisson a "skinner" repeatedly, a street term of derision used for pedophiles. He also threatened to stab Poisson.

When the incident occurred, Harley was moving throughout the unit with his walker. Video evidence showed him in conversation with Poisson at one point. Poisson left, Harley went and got a cup of milk and returned to watch TV. There was more coming and going, words exchanged, and then at one point Poisson exited his cell with a tray and a cup and splashed the liquid on Harley.

"He told him to leave him alone because he had been yelling at him for three days," the court heard.

Minutes later, Harley was seen walking to the common area with a beige cup and approached Poisson who was at the microwave. Harley tossed his cup of milk on Poisson from behind. Harley turned around to walk away, but that was the last piece of abuse Poisson was going to take.

The commotion prompted at least one inmate to come to Harley assistance, shortly after which corrections officers started showing up. Less than two hours later Harley was dead.

Poisson is American and was labelled a high-risk pedophile in the U.S. He had moved to Penticton, but in 2011 he fled a place he was required to live to try to get ID and return to the U.S. Two years later he got in trouble for being creepy towards kids at a Junior A hockey game in Dryden, Ontario. He then gave police a fake name and later threatened to kill them. Poisson was wanted on a Canadawide warrant at the time and was charged with five counts of failure to comply, obstructing a police officer, and uttering threats.

After the killing of Harley at Kent, Poisson provided a statement to members of the RCMP's Integrated Homicide Investigation Unit that he felt bad about it. He wished Harley didn't die, and not because of the consequences he would face "but because he deserved to live."

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Paul J. Henderson
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