A Saskatchewan man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for molesting a child, along with the creation and possession of child sexual abuse material. The sentence was imposed by Judge Graeme G. Mitchell in a decision dated Aug. 7, 2026. The man, 37, had previously pleaded guilty to all offences and will carry out his sentence in a federal penitentiary. The victim, who was between seven and eight years old at the time, was the child of a family friend to the man and his then-wife. Additionally, police found the man to be in possession of 827 images and 227 videos of child sexual abuse material, also referred to as child pornography. The offences that resulted in the charges and eventual sentence occurred between Aug. 1, 2018, and Feb. 3, 2019, in a community in central Saskatchewan. Any details of the case that could identify the victim are subject to a publication ban. Abuse of trust According to court documents, the instances of abuse occurred while the child was in the care of the offender and his spouse. As the spouse was close friends with the victim’s mother, the child was often left in the couple’s care and even stayed overnight sometimes. On at least six occasions, between August 2018 and February 2019, the child slept on the couple’s couch in their living room which was on the main floor. It was during these instances where the abuse occurred. The offender took photographs and recorded the abuse as it happened. He was 28 years-old at the time. ‘I did it’ The investigation that launched the charges began in March 2023 when members of the Saskatchewan Internet Child Exploitation Unit (ICE) were alerted of material that was uploaded to a social media platform. A member of the ICE unit testified in court that after it was determined that the material was child pornography, and that it was uploaded from a Saskatchewan IP address. A search warrant for the address was authorized, and the warrant was executed on Aug. 24, 2023. At around 6:49 a.m., five people were at the home when it was searched, including the offender’s spouse and three children. The offender was arrested and numerous devices were seized and analyzed on-site. The officer testified that at one point, the offender told officers; “Ok guys, I did it alright. Just don’t let my family go through this.” The offender According to a pre-sentencing report, the offender does not deny involvement in his crimes, but “struggles with taking responsibility for his actions.” The report also says he has not shown any remorse for the harm he’s caused others. “[The offender] struggles with having insight into his offending behaviour and has not identified realistic intervention strategies to address his risk areas,” it read. “With specific treatment for sexual offending, [the offender] would be able to gain awareness into his high-risk thoughts, feelings and situations regarding his offending behaviour.” Neither the victim nor her mother provided victim impact statements at the sentencing, but Justice Mitchell wrote that he took notice of the “devastating effect” the man’s actions had upon the victim and her family. The judge also noted the impact on the 37-year-old’s own family, who have since become estranged from him. The sentence In writing his decision, Judge Mitchell emphasized the importance of “denunciation and deterrence” in cases of sexual abuse involving those under 18 years of age. Mitchell also weighed past precedent, parity and restraint as part of his decision. He outlined the victim’s young age, the offender’s violation of a position of trust, the recording and capture of the offences as well as the overall large volumes of abuse material possessed by the man as aggravating factors. However, he also took note of the offender’s lack of prior criminal history, as well as his cooperation with police and probation officials. Mitchell cited the words of Justice Schwann who stated: “The objective gravity of child pornography offences and the moral culpability of the individuals who commit those offences are considerable.” In addition to 10 years in a federal penitentiary, the 37-year-old is subject to a DNA sample order, comply with the Sex Offender Information Registration Act for 20 years as well as a 10-year firearm prohibition. Ancillary orders Additionally, the man is prohibited from attending numerous areas where children under 16 years old are present like daycares, schoolgrounds, playgrounds, swimming areas and public parks. He’s also barred from having any contact or communication with persons under 16 without court-designated supervision. The 37-year-old is also prohibited from volunteering or seeking employment for a position that gives him trust or authority over children, and is not allowed to access the internet or other digital networks without complying with court conditions.
