Convicted P.E.I. arsonist scheduled for statutory release from prison in October

The Parole Board of Canada is imposing special conditions on a P.E.I. man who intentionally set five structures on fire over a two-day period, including burning down three cottages, when he is scheduled to be statutorily released from federal prison later this month.

The offender, Dakota James Ellis, was sentenced in P.E.I. Supreme Court on June 26, 2025, to two years in prison, three years of probation and ordered to pay $229,766 in restitution to the victims for four counts of break and enter and committing an indictable offence of arson and one count of arson. Ellis, 21, pleaded guilty to the charges on May 17, 2024.

According to the facts presented in court, on Nov. 24, 2023, Ellis and a co-accused male youth broke into seasonal cottages at 30 Garden Ln. and 91 Centre Ln. in Donaldston and set them on fire using an accelerant. Both cottages – roughly 300 metres apart – were completely destroyed by the fires. A 911 call was made at 10:55 p.m. At the time of the offences, Ellis lived in Donaldston just over a kilometre away from both cottages.

The following day (Nov. 25, 2023), Ellis and the youth burned down a cottage at 50 MacMillan Ln. in Stanhope and set fire to a lifeguard hut at P.E.I. National Park near Stanhope along the Gulf Shore Parkway.

On Nov. 25, 2023, the offenders also set fire to a residence in the Scotchfort area. The residence had the smell of diesel fuel and two burn marks five feet apart near the homeowner’s daughter’s bedroom window. The homeowner saw Ellis’s Dodge Ram pickup truck leave the scene. The daughter at the Scotchfort residence said to police that Ellis knew where she lived.

In a previous April 21 board decision that denied Ellis both day and full parole, Ellis is noted as saying that with respect to the three cottages that were burned down, he broke into those places to steal items and then sell them for money. Ellis said he burned down the cottages so there wouldn’t be any fingerprints. He didn’t steal any items because there was nothing of value.

As well, the male youth co-accused was a member of a gang, according to Ellis. The youth broke into the cottages and then unlocked the door for Ellis to enter. With respect to the fire incident in the Scotchfort area residence, Ellis said that the co-accused had a conflict with the young girl and wanted to burn the house down. Ellis said he only wanted to damage the house.

The youth pleaded guilty to the same charges in youth justice court in Charlottetown and was sentenced on March 27, 2024. The Scotchfort incident was referred to the province’s restorative justice program. For the other offences, the youth received a total of five months of open custody, two-and-a-half months of community supervision and 18 months of probation.

Ellis’s criminal record also includes breaching court orders and in 2023 a 35-day jail sentence and two years of probation for throwing unopened pop cans at moving vehicles with a co-accused.

On Oct. 7, the Parole Board of Canada decided to use its authority and impose special conditions on Ellis’s upcoming statutory release. The special conditions will provide “an additional layer of safeguards to mitigate the potential of being drawn to risk situations, making bad choices, and engaging in poor behaviour, all of which could lead to an increase in your risk to reoffend.” The board described Ellis to be in the moderate range to reoffend.

“(The board) believes that your substance abuse (alcohol), your associations with negative associates and your lack of self-control played important roles in your offending. You committed dangerous crimes without considering the impact of your actions on others,” according to the decision.

“The board is concerned that you will be released in an environment very close to the scene of the crimes and to the victims. However, you have the support of close family members, and you have a stable place to stay.”

The Parole Board of Canada considered in its decision victim impact statements dated May 29 and Aug. 24 (as well as victim impact statements that were read in P.E.I. Supreme Court).

“In these statements, the victim writes about how your crime impacted her economically, financially and emotionally. She is concerned about you returning to the community. She requests that the board impose special conditions pertaining to no-contact and a geographical restriction not to enter the cottage neighbourhood.”

The special conditions include not to consume, purchase or possess alcohol or non-prescription drugs, be under a curfew from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., except for employment, vocational or educational training or with a parole supervisor’s prior written agreement and not to associate or communicate with anyone known or believed to be involved in criminal activity. As well, Ellis is not to have any direct or indirect contact with the victims.

“The victims of your crimes have suffered emotionally and suffered financial losses. They have made it clear that you are not to contact them,” the parole board decision says. “Because you are being released near the crimes, the board is not imposing a geographical special condition but expects you to avoid going near the victims’ properties.”

The special conditions will be in place until the expiration of Ellis’s sentence. Ellis is scheduled for statutory release on Oct. 25, which is two-thirds of his federal prison sentence.

Terrence McEachern is a justice reporter for The Guardian in Prince Edward Island. He can be reached at tmceachern@postmedia.com.