Ex-Esports Champion Toyz Approved for Parole After Drug Trafficking Sentence

Former professional video game esports player Liu Wei-chien, whose stage name is Toyz, was sentenced to four years and two months in prison for involvement in a drug trafficking case and was incarcerated at the Taichung Prison. After serving more than two years of his sentence, his parole application was recently officially approved by the Agency of Corrections under the Ministry of Justice. Subsequently, the Taichung Branch of the Taiwan High Court also legally issued a ruling granting him probation under supervision during his parole period. The case is currently undergoing administrative release procedures in accordance with relevant regulations. He is expected to regain his freedom once these procedures are completed and will be subject to the supervision and counseling of a probation officer during the probation period.

Reviewing the judicial proceedings of the entire case, Liu Wei-chien was investigated by prosecutors and police in 2021 for suspected trafficking of cannabis vape cartridges. Investigative authorities seized a large quantity of drugs at his residence and related locations at the time. Following an in-depth investigation, he was determined to be implicated in drug trafficking offenses and was subsequently indicted in accordance with the law. Once the case entered the trial stage, Liu confessed to the drug trafficking facts during court proceedings and actively cooperated with the prosecution, police investigations, and judicial trials. Taking into consideration the circumstances of his crimes, his attitude after committing the offenses, and relevant legal provisions, the first- and second-instance courts ultimately sentenced him to four years and two months in prison, which became final. Subsequently, Liu officially began serving his sentence in early 2022 at the Taichung Prison of the Agency of Corrections, Ministry of Justice.

Under Taiwan's current criminal procedure and penal enforcement systems, when inmates serving fixed-term imprisonment demonstrate good behavior in prison with no disciplinary violations, and are assessed by the prison as having a high potential for reform and genuine remorse—having fulfilled the statutory requirement of serving a certain proportion of their sentence (such as exceeding one-half of a fixed-term sentence, or having served a specific duration as in this case)—they become eligible to apply for parole to the Agency of Corrections. During his more than two years of imprisonment at the Taichung Prison, Liu's daily life and work performance reportedly complied with relevant regulations, prompting his prison to submit his parole application to the Agency of Corrections for review, which ultimately granted the approval.

According to relevant provisions of Taiwan's Criminal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure, parole is not unconditional freedom. Inmates granted parole must be placed under probation for the remainder of their sentence. In this case, the Taichung Branch of the Taiwan High Court issued a ruling regarding Liu's parole, officially approving his placement under probation during the parole period. This means that upon leaving prison, he will not be entirely unrestricted; rather, he must regularly report to the probation officer at the local prosecutors office, accept the probation officer's counseling and supervision, and comply with statutory conditions such as refraining from committing specific crimes and maintaining good conduct. Should he violate relevant regulations or commit another crime during the probation period, his parole may be revoked, and he would be required to return to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence.

Liu previously enjoyed extremely high prominence in the field of competitive video gaming, having represented a Taiwanese team to win a world championship. After retiring from esports, he transitioned into a prominent internet streamer and content creator, wielding considerable influence among younger generations. However, his imprisonment for drug offenses not only dealt a massive blow to his personal entertainment and internet career, but also sparked widespread societal discussions regarding the legal awareness of public figures and the hazards of drugs. Following the court's approval of his parole, his future direction and how he will reintegrate into society continue to draw attention from all sectors of society.

(Source of Facts: Central News Agency)