Coach spent months "grooming" victim before sex assault, documents allege

Coach spent months grooming victim before sex assault, documents allege

A 50-year-old Winnipeg soccer coach allegedly spent months "grooming" one of his 12-year-old players for a sexual relationship, according to court documents obtained Tuesday by the Free Press.

Search warrant affidavits outline the case against the man, who was arrested last week and charged with various offences. None of the allegations have been proven and he is presumed innocent.

The female soccer player was interviewed by police last month and told investigators the relationship with her coach was "normal" until the end of their first season together last spring. Police said the girl started confiding in her coach about ongoing difficulties at home between her parents, who were separated and living apart.

The coach allegedly began asking his player to call him at home, where they would have lengthy conversations about her parents and other off-field issues. He started offering to drive her home from soccer during games and practices when her parents couldn’t attend or had to leave early.

Police say the man would make detours to his house while driving her home on several occasions. The first time, the coach allegedly began hugging his young player. The second time she claims it progressed to rubbing her back and whispering in her ear.

By the third time, the coach is accused of removing the girl’s clothing and having sexual intercourse with her.

Police say there was a clear escalation following that incident, with the coach repeatedly asking the teen to send nude pictures of herself and threatening to break off contact if she refused. The coach allegedly began sending graphic photos of himself. Police say there were more than 100 explicit photos exchanged between the two.

The relationship was eventually exposed last month by the girl’s mother who found notes in her daughter’s room professing her "love" for her coach. The woman also contacted MTS to get copies of all her daughter’s outgoing texts to the man, which were forwarded to police.

Police say the case shows children might be targeted by people they know and trust, not random strangers.

The coach is currently being held in custody on charges including sexual assault, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, sexual exploitation, possessing child pornography, exposure to a person under 14 and Internet luring.

The Free Press is not naming him to protect the identity of the alleged victim.

Coach groomed player for sex: police

A Winnipeg soccer coach accused of sexually assaulting and exploiting a young female player exchanged as many as 60 text messages a day with her as part of an alleged effort to groom her for a sexual relationship, CBC News has learned.
Details of the allegations against Steven Skavinsky, 50, emerged Tuesday after the CBC obtained a sworn search warrant affidavit authored by a Winnipeg police child abuse detective.
Skavinsky remains in custody pending a court appearance on Thursday.
He is presumed innocent of charges including sexual assault, sexual exploitation, possession of child pornography and internet luring of a minor.
Police applied for a search warrant to search Skavinsky's home in May after conducting a videotaped interview with the alleged victim. Police also spoke with her parents and Skavinsky himself.
The warrant allowed police to search the home for potential forensic evidence and seize items including computers, digital images, data storage devices and a sofa cover.

Text messages uncovered

According to the sworn affidavit police used to obtain the warrant, Skavinsky coached the girl's soccer team for two years.
However, it wasn't until May 3 that the then 13-year-old girl's mother noted she had been found near Skavinsky's home after leaving school early, the affidavit said.
The mother told investigators she found notes in the girl's room stating, "I love you Steve," Detective Const. Derek Charison wrote.
The mother also approached a local phone company to obtain copies of outgoing text messages from the girl's personal cellphone after calling the company and requesting them, Charison wrote.
The girl's father was also interviewed and admitted being "uncomfortable with the developing relationship … and was aware that they were texting and phoning each other on a regular basis," Charison stated.
The document said representatives of Child and Family Services were called in to interview all parties in May 13. After that, police were contacted and began their own investigation.

'60 times a day'

On May 22, the girl was brought to police headquarters in downtown Winnipeg.
In a videotaped interview, she said that "the relationship was a normal coach/player relationship at first, however towards the end of the first season, it became closer," Charison stated.
The two began text messaging each other, starting "once or twice a week and then it became more and more frequent." According to the documents, the two eventually began texting "before she went to school, after school and before she went to bed."
"They would text up to 60 times a day," the documents said. "Skavinsky asked her to call him and they talked about her parents fighting."
The girl told them that the coach drove her home three times after soccer because her father had to leave early. Each time, they made a stop at his home.
On the first two occasions, the girl said the coach hugged her inside the home, but the third incident "got a lot more physical," the affidavit said.
The girl alleged to police that on this occasion Skavinsky had intercourse with her on his couch, Charison wrote.
After that point, the two began exchanging digital images after he requested it, the girl told police. The pictures became increasingly graphic over time, the affidavit said.
"Skavinsky told her that if she didn't send the pictures, he wouldn't talk to her anymore," Charison wrote.
He also encouraged her to engage in phone sex with him, the affidavit said.
Following the interview, officers asked the girl to take them to identify Skavinsky's home.
The allegations against Skavinsky have not been proven in court.

Police warn parents of grooming 
It began innocently enough, the respected 50-year-old Winnipeg soccer coach forming a strong bond with one of his talented 12-year-old players. But how it ended -- with allegations of explicit chats, nude photos, Internet luring and sexual assault -- has police and child welfare officials warning parents about the dangers of "grooming."
The Free Press obtained search warrant documents Tuesday that outline the case against the accused, who was arrested last week and charged with various offences. None of the allegations has been proven and he is presumed innocent.
"This appears to be one of those classic cases where a lot can be learned," said Noni Classen, director of education at the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. According to police, it was the mother of the young girl who suspected something was amiss and eventually uncovered evidence of the alleged relationship.
The girl was interviewed by police on May 22 and told investigators the relationship with her soccer coach was "normal" until the end of their first season together last spring. Police said she started confiding in her coach about ongoing difficulties at home between her parents, who were living apart. She said the first time he texted her was to say he'd "have a good time with her doing anything." They began exchanging texts a couple times a week, but they soon became more frequent.
"They would text before she went to school, after school, and before she went to bed. They would text up to 60 times a day," police wrote in their affidavit. The coach began asking his player to call him at home, where they would have lengthy conversations about her parents and other off-field issues. He began offering to drive her home after games and practices when her parents couldn't attend or had to leave early.
Police say the man made a detour to his house the first time he was driving her home. He allegedly brought her inside, then gave her a hug "for what felt like 10 or 15 minutes... it was tight and more than a normal hug," the girl told investigators. The coach then tried to hold the girl's hand when they returned to the car but she pulled away. On the second drive home, the coach allegedly brought the girl inside, gave her another lengthy hug and then began massaging her back and "whispering things in her ear," say police. Once again, he tried to hold her hand in the car, this time with success.
On the third drive home, their interaction "got a lot more physical," according to police. The coach began with a hug, then moved his hands under her shirt, eventually removing it. He also removed her shorts and underwear, moved her to a couch and had sexual intercourse. Police say there was a clear escalation following that incident, with the coach repeatedly asking the teen to send pictures of herself.
"He first asked for pictures of her head, then began to ask for ones of her body and would inquire as to what she was wearing," said police. Eventually he was reportedly requesting fully nude photos, which she complied with.
"He told her that if she didn't send the pictures, he wouldn't talk to her anymore," said police. The coach allegedly began sending photos of himself, first in his underwear, then more graphic poses. Police say there were more than 100 explicit photos exchanged between the two.
The relationship was eventually exposed by the girl's mother, who found notes in her daughter's room professing her "love" for her coach. The woman also contacted MTS to get copies of all her daughter's outgoing texts to the man, which were forwarded to police.
Police say the case shows how children might be targeted by people they know and trust, not random strangers. Classen said Tuesday that children who are targeted by these types of "predators" often don't see themselves as victims, which can make it difficult to uncover abuse.
"Often the individuals involved in these types of cases are very charismatic. The child almost becomes emotionally dependent on them, and it becomes very confusing," said Classen. "A lot of times they will come forward not because of the abuse, but because the abuse has stopped." Classen said parents must keep a close eye on their children in organized activities.
"You really have to stick to appropriate boundaries between adults and children," she said. The coach is currently being held in custody on charges including sexual assault, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, sexual exploitation, possessing child pornography, exposure to a person under 14 and Internet luring.
The Free Press is not naming the accused to protect the identity of the alleged victim.

US National Guard member jailed for child pornography

US National Guard member jailed for child pornography

A member of the U.S. National Guard has been sentenced to 10 months in jail for smuggling child pornography into Manitoba.

Jason Brooks, 24, pleaded guilty Monday to charges under the Customs Act. He was arrested last February while bringing a load of corn across the border near Winkler. Officials grew suspicious about his behaviour after asking a series of questions and eventually searched his computer and found six videos and four pictures depicting children as young as five engaged in sexual activity.

Brooks made a series of excuses to police, at one point claiming he’d bought the computer from a convicted pedophile who must have downloaded the material before the sale. He later claimed up to 50 different people had access to his laptop and must have set him up.

"He hopes people who know him will know he’s not a sexual predator," defence lawyer Randy Minuk told court Monday.

Brooks lives in North Dakota and has been working as a long-haul trucker at the time of his arrest. He was also a member of the National Guard but is being kicked out because of his crime, court was told.

Brooks has spent the past four months in custody, which was given single-time credit under new federal legislation. He must now serve an additional six months behind bars and will be deported immediately upon his release. Minuk said he will likely never be allowed back into Canada, which will impact his future employment.

Minuk said his client was a "well-liked" member of society with many supporters, including his mother who was in court Monday to watch the sentencing hearing. Brooks was seeking to be released from custody almost immediately, but provincial court Judge Sid Lerner said more jail was necessary to express strong condemnation for this type of crime, which is growing in Canada.

Lerner also questioned how remorseful Brooks is given the various explanations he’s provided to police.

US child porn smuggler gets 10 months

A North Dakota long-haul trucker who smuggled child pornography into Manitoba has been handed a 10-month jail sentence.
Jason Cory Brooks, 24, has been in custody since his arrest by border guards at the Canadian point of entry near Winkler on Feb. 23.
Brooks, who had crossed the border to deliver a load of corn to the town of Haskett, became nervous and gave inconsistent answers when guards asked him questions about his criminal record.
A subsequent search of his laptop revealed it had six videos and four images of child pornography on it.
Some of the illegal material depicted children as young as five engaged in sexual activity, court heard on Monday.
Instead of being charged under the Criminal Code, Brooks was charged — and pleaded guilty to — charges under the Customs Act.
He faced a maximum prison term of five years and a $500,000 fine.
His own lawyer, Randy Minuk, argued that Brooks should spend no more than 90 days in jail, creating a conflict with the Crown's request for a sentence between 9-12 months.
Judge Sidney Lerner also ordered Brooks to serve three years of supervised probation after his release from jail.
However, he faces immediate deportation back to the U.S. after his sentence expires and likely will never be allowed to return to Canada.
He was given no extra credit for the time he's spent in custody awaiting sentencing. His arrest came one day after legislation to abolish double-time credit for prisoners was made law.

National Guardsman no longer

Brooks, a member of the U.S. National Guard, has been kicked out of the group because of his conviction, court heard.
Brooks initially told investigators that he had purchased the laptop from a convicted sex offender one week prior to his arrest, and blamed the discovery of the child pornography on that man.
He later changed his story and said he had owned the computer for several months. Later still, he claimed that a number of people had access to the computer and may have been responsible for downloading the child pornography.
Court heard that the offending material was placed in folders named "normal" and "young."
Brooks also said that his own father had emailed one of the illegal images to him.
A number of letters of support were filed with the court, and Lerner said it was proof he was a "contributing and well-liked" member of his community.
However, Lerner suggested, Brooks's changing story about how the child pornography got on the laptop showed he had limited remorse for his actions.

I disagree with the 10 month jail sentence. I believe that is far too harsh. He did not have extensive pornography on his computer and a criminal record will impact his employment prospects, especially as a trucker. I would like to know more about this man's background such as his family life and what made him a well liked member of his community. Prison is a negative environment with negative influences, gangs, drugs, little access to rehab programs and pro-criminal attitudes and behaviours. I believe that only those who are truly dangerous to society should be imprisoned. This man does not fit that category, in my opinion. Prison will not deter future criminals, prevent or reduce crime. 

I would have sentenced him to a conditional discharge, where he would be subject to probation conditions but would not receive a criminal record. This would ensure that he would be able to keep his employment and would not place further deprivations and hardships upon this man.  

Daycare operater sentenced to conditional sentence for child pornography

Kid-porn pervert gets house arrest

A former daycare operator arrested for accessing child pornography has been sentenced to six months house arrest.

Marc Balez, 38, was arrested in September 2005 following an investigation by city police and the Integrated Child Exploitation (ICE) unit.

At the time of his arrest, Balez and his wife operated the Charleswood Children’s Centre on Roblin Boulevard. The daycare centre has since closed.

Crown attorney Mick Makar and defence lawyer Ryan Amy jointly recommended Balez be allowed to serve a conditional sentence.

Balez’s arrest pre-dated changes to the law requiring mandatory jail sentences for child pornography offences.

Makar said Balez has already spent nearly five blemish-free years under very restrictive bail conditions.

Police executed a search warrant at Balez’s home on Aug. 30, 2005, and seized computer discs containing nearly 600 images of child pornography and two movies.

Police seized a laptop computer at the daycare but it did not contain any pornography. Makar said “wiping software” had been used on both computers, eliminating evidence of recent activity.

Court heard Balez used a “search bot” program to automatically download pornography according to his customized preferences.

“Mr. Balez cast the net and the net came back with inappropriate images,” Amy said.

Judge Wanda Garreck ordered Balez, during the period of his conditional sentence, not possess pornography or access the Internet.

Garreck also ordered his name be included on the national sex offender registry for 10 years.

I completely agree with a conditional sentence for this man as opposed to prison. I don't think there would be any reason to hold him in prison as he is not a danger to society and therefore, does not need to be incapacitated. The article does not mention that this man has any prior record or any other mitigating factors, which makes a conditional sentence even more appropriate.

Woman in Phillipines helps investigation into Manitoba sex offender

Manitoba sex offender undone by alarm overseas

A concerned woman in the Philippines was the key to bringing a Manitoba sex offender to justice.

Bruce Nelson pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges of child pornography and indecent exposure in an unusual case that began overseas. He was given eight months of time served in custody and three years of supervised probation under a joint recommendation from Crown and defence lawyers.

Nelson, 48, admits he was sending explicit images of nude young children to strangers over the Internet from his home computer in Pinawa. He always claimed to be the father of the girls in the pictures, court was told.

In fact, Nelson had actually downloaded all of the pictures from the Internet and didn't know any of the children. One of the unwitting recipients was a Filipino woman who began asking Nelson questions about his background with hopes of building a case against him, including where he lived. She then went to child welfare authorities in her home country, who quickly forwarded the complaint to Canadian authorities.

Police traced the images to Nelson's computer and executed a search warrant in 2008. They found evidence of hundreds of similar online chats along with more than 1,000 graphic images and 88 movies involving child pornography. Nelson had no prior criminal record and was released on a promise to appear in court. But he was rearrested months later after exposing himself to two children, aged five and nine, that he approached on a gravel road in Pinawa. Nelson told the kids there was a baby deer down the road and invited them to come for a closer look. He then exposed himself. The children fled the area and immediately told a parent.

Nelson was quickly identified by his description and the car he was driving.

He was eventually released yet again on bail, then failed to report to police in January as required. He was arrested a third time and has been in custody since. A psychiatrist has deemed Nelson a low risk to reoffend but can't explain what motivated him to "go off the rails," court was told. Nelson is the father of two children, has been in a long-term relationship and worked full time at the same job for nearly 30 years.

Provincial court Judge Brian Corrin said he is concerned by an escalation in Nelson's criminal behaviour that saw him go from viewing images of child pornography to "getting gratification in a public place with small children."

I completely agree with the sentence of probation. This man is a low risk to re-offend and has no prior record. He has children, is in a long term relationship and has a full time job. He needs to support his family. Prison would only tear this family apart and likely have damaging effects on this man because he would be a low risk offender housed with high risk offenders. This has been proven to increase recidivism rates when offenders are released. This man should receive counseling, and learn management skills for his sexual impulses.


Under probation, I would recommend management of deviant impulses, relapse prevention programs and sex offender programs in the community. They cannot be cured, but they can be rehabilitated.

Sentence increased in child porn case by Court of Appeal

Sentence increased in child porn case

WINNIPEG - A Manitoba judge has increased the jail sentence given to a former Winnipeg community centre worker who was caught with a massive collection of child pornography.

Dwayne Proulx, 47, had already finished serving his three-month stint behind bars but learned Wednesday he now must spend another five months in custody.

Queen’s Bench Justice John Menzies ruled the original penalty handed down in March 2009 by provincial court Judge Brian Corrin wasn’t strong enough. The Crown was seeking a one-year sentence and had appealed Corrin’s decision.

Proulx pleaded guilty to possessing 2,466 images and videos determined by police to be child pornography. Police described his collection as "meticulously organized" and said the images included children as young as three being sexually abused by adults.

Proulx downloaded and stored the pictures on a computer at Winnipeg’s Park City West Community Club, where he worked for 15 years as a caretaker. He later told justice officials he would spend up to five hours a day searching for new images and cataloguing them on his computer.

He was arrested in 2006 after a co-worker found the collection and called police.

Proulx has also been placed on three years of supervised probation and his name will be entered in the national sex offender registry for the next 20 years.

Child porn collector gets another 5 months; three month sentence boosted on appeal
A Manitoba judge has increased the jail sentence given to a former Winnipeg community-centre worker who was caught with a massive collection of child pornography.
Dwayne Proulx, 47, had already finished serving his three-month stint behind bars but learned Wednesday he now must spend another five months in custody.
Queen's Bench Justice John Menzies ruled the original penalty handed down in March 2009 by provincial court Judge Brian Corrin wasn't strong enough.
The Crown had appealed Corrin's decision and was seeking a one-year sentence.
Proulx pleaded guilty to possessing 2,466 images and videos determined by police to be child pornography. Police described his collection as "meticulously organized" and said the images included children as young as three being sexually abused by adults.
Proulx downloaded and stored the pictures on a computer at Winnipeg's Park City West Community Club, where he worked for 15 years as a caretaker. He later told justice officials he would spend up to five hours a day searching for new images and carefully cataloguing them on his computer.
He was arrested in 2006 after a co-worker found the collection and called police.

Proulx has been diagnosed by medical experts as having a form of pedophilia but claims he's never considered having actual sexual relations with a child.
He spent three years free on bail under strict conditions following his arrest without any criminal reinvolvement.
Proulx has now been placed on three years of supervised probation and his name will be entered in the national sex offender registry for the next 20 years.

It's hard to know with sex offenders whether they will re-offend or not as their crimes usually begin minor but sometimes continue further along a continuum which could lead to kidnapping, sexually assaulting and even killing children, in some cases. This man was diagnosed with a form of pedophilia, which is dangerous. I agree with the Judge's decision to raise the sentence to 5 more months along with supervised probation. 

Hopefully when released, this man will accept help and treatment for his problems and someday become a law abiding citizen and never go further with these crimes.  

Judge boosts jail time for child pornographer in Calgary

Judge boosts jail time for child pornographer

Lawyer had suggested two year term

C omplaining the courts have been too lenient in punishing child pornographers, a judge has sent a 34-year-old Calgary man to prison for three years.

"In my view, we have been too lenient in regards to this offence," said Queen's Bench Justice Ged Hawco, who rejected the proposal for a two-year sentence for Giuseppe Antonio Secreti.

Hawco called the photos and videos of pre-pubescent children in Secreti's possession "disturbing, degrading and abusive."

"These were taken primarily by men who are predators and sexual deviants," said Hawco. "It is so sad to think of what will become of these young girls, both physically and mentally."

Secreti, who pleaded guilty this week to possession and distribution of child pornography, was caught after trading the material online with an undercover police officer in New York in January 2007.

Special agent Rosanna Licitra of the Department of Homeland Security contacted Canadian authorities after she received a file through Google Hello Chat from Secreti containing more than 50 images of kiddie porn.

The e-mail address was traced to Secreti in Calgary.

Police searched his residence on May 27, 2008, and found 374,238 pornographic images and 1,676 videos. Of those files, 5,316 images and 49 videos contained child pornography.

Kevin Brookwell, Calgary Police Service spokesman, applauded the judge's ruling.

"This crime is not acceptable in society, and the sentences imposed in the past are not enough of a deterrent to change people's attitudes to not engage in this activity," said Brookwell.

"We support and applaud the judge for recognizing typical sentencing is not enough."

Hawco balked at the two-year joint proposal by Crown prosecutor Jenny Rees and defence lawyer Tonii Roulston, who had made the offer after thoroughly reviewing case law and Secreti's personal circumstances. He has no prior criminal record.

The lawyers returned on Thursday and gave further reasons, but Hawco rejected them.

Rees said outside court the proposal was reasonable but added "sentences for child pornography have been increasing a lot" since minimum sentences were introduced in November 2005.

"There were no cases at that time on distribution with a higher sentence," she said. "The justice reviewed recent cases and felt a higher sentence should be imposed."

Roulston declined to say whether the sentence would be appealed, but said as she left court, "I will see what our position is. . . ."

Hawco ordered Secreti to be registered as a sex offender for 20 years and for the rest of his life never visit any park, swimming pool, playground or other public place where children are likely to be present.

The offender must also supply a sample of his DNA for the national offenders databank.

I disagree with what the Judge said in that sentences lately have not been as much of a deterrent. Maybe he should do some research and come to the realization that NO SENTENCES ARE EFFECTIVE IN DETERRENCE! Research has proven that sentences do not deter future or potential criminals from committing the crime, but the prospect of getting caught, does. We need to deter criminals in ways other than sentencing. 

I disagree with the 3 year sentence for this man. He has no prior record and did not physically harm anyone and he pleaded guilty, acknowledging what he did. I think this man needs rehabilitation primarily. If I were the Judge, I would have sentenced him to one year provincial prison and 3 years probation with strict conditions, counseling and rehab programs.  

Child porn conviction overturned on search warrant violation

Child porn conviction overturned on search warrant violation

A Saskatchewan man has won his appeal to overturn a conviction for possession of child pornography.

Urbain Morelli was sentenced to 18 months of house arrest in 2005 after police found evidence of child pornography on his computer two years earlier. But in a 4-3 split decision, the Supreme Court of Canada on Friday accepted his challenge that a search warrant for his house had violated his right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. In his ruling, Justice Morris Fish questioned whether Morelli should have faced charges of "accessing" the illegal material as opposed to "possessing" it. He also concluded that police provided misleading information about their evidence when they applied for the warrant to search Morelli's home.

"Justice is blind in the sense that it pays no heed to the social status or personal characteristics of the litigants," Fish wrote in the ruling. "But justice receives a black eye when it turns a blind eye to unconstitutional searches and seizures as a result of unacceptable police conduct or practices."

The RCMP obtained the warrant to search Morelli's home several months after they were contacted by a computer technician, Adrien Hounjet, who had visited the residence to install a high-speed Internet connection several months earlier.

Fish said that the original application for the warrant suggested that Hounjet had actually seen child pornography on Morelli's computer, when this was not the case.

"Mr. Hounjet saw nothing of the sort," wrote Fish. "All he saw were two links labelled 'Lolita Porn' and 'Lolita XXX' in the 'Favourites' menu of the Internet browser."

He said the application for the warrant included "clear and misleading statements," or a "false claim."

"The informant's narrative would have appeared much less sinister -- and much less supportive of the claim that the accused possessed child pornography -- had the (application) included a number of additional facts known to police," said the ruling.

I completely agree with this ruling. If Charter rights are breached on the defendant's part, which is a crucial mistake, his conviction must be overturned. I applaud the Judge's ruling! 

Using the internet to ure underage co-workers gets Calgary man 5 year prison sentence

Using the internet to lure underage co-workers gets Calgary man 5 year prison sentence

CALGARY - A city man who used fake identities on the Internet to get three underage female co-workers to send him sexually-

explicit pictures of themselves has been sent to prison for five years.

Provincial court Judge Catherine Skene agreed on Monday to the sentence for Robert Ogle, 25, after listening to a joint submission by Crown prosecutor Nadine Nesbitt and defence lawyer Lisa Burgis.

"Here, Mr. Ogle used the Internet to groom young girls," Nesbitt told the judge. "He used different online personnas to

convince the girls that it was good for them.

"With the Internet, kids chat online and it's too easy for adults to manipulated and groom these girls. In this case there was a

fair amount of manipulation."

Ogle had previously pleaded guilty to five charges, two of them for luring the three girls under 16 who worked with him at Sobeys grocery store, for sexual gratification and making child pornography.

The incidents occurred between 2004 and 2009, court heard.

One of the girls cried as she read her victim impact statement, saying she was scared to walk down the streets and was angry for a long time after the incidents with Ogle.

Her mother told court she was in shock when she found out about her daughter's "loss of innocence" at the hands of a perpetrator.

Aside from the two luring offences, Ogle also pleaded guilty to sexual interference, making and possessing child pornography.

Police found more than 72 naked images of one of the girls and 57 of another on his digital camera and computer.

Police found more than 1,100 child pornography images from the Internet had also been viewed on his computer.

Ogle, who was not diagnosed as a pedophile, apologized to the victims and said "I regret what I did and wish I could go back."

He said he plans to be rehabilitated and put it all behind him.

Ogle must be registered as a sex offender for 20 years, not attend any swimming pool, school ground, community centre or other place where children under 16 would likely be present, and must provide a DNA sample.

I think that this sentence is appropriate. Sex offenders are the most dangerous type of offenders and not very many of them are able to benefit from rehabilitation programs. This man is remorseful but he is a risk to other girls which is why I agree with the 5 years.

Child Pornography: Accused planned to live with boys in Spain, said police

Child Pornography: Accused planned to live with boys in Spain: police

He describes himself as a hermit who hasn't left his Winnipeg home in four years and spends most of his waking hours on the computer.

Now Winnipeg police believe the 59-year-old child pornography suspect planned to move to Spain and live with young boys to serve as their "Master," according to court documents obtained by the Free Press.

The allegations are contained in affidavits used to obtain search warrants executed in October and again last week at the accused's Charleswood-area home as part of an ongoing investigation.

Police originally began investigating the man in September 2009 following a tip from investigators in Boynton Beach, Fla. He allegedly got caught in an online chat and "file sharing session" with an undercover officer who was sent 34 images child porn pictures and one video, according to the court documents. Investigators raided his house in October 2009 and seized several computers and storage devices. The man was charged with child pornography offences but released on a promise to appear in court at a later date. His conditions included having no Internet access.

"He commented that he had not left his house in the past four years... that he did not have visitors, indicating he even has his groceries delivered to the house" police wrote in their affidavit.

A second, more extensive investigation began in December when police officers learned the man had obtained a new computer and started posting questions on a popular genealogy website. He claimed to be in ailing health and searching for information about his family history. Police began tracking the man's online activity and learned that he had allegedly created a new dial-up Internet account on Nov. 30, 2009. He had also created an "encrypted" email account and sent a note to network administrators asking them not to put his real name on any invoices.

Police allege the accused spent 33 hours online in a three-day period in early December. Officers set up a fake account on the genealogy website and engaged him in conversation. They were also able to remotely gain access to his computer, which allowed a peek inside his online dealings. Police discovered a computer folder labelled "Friends" that contained several pictures of naked boys between the ages of 10 and 14. They also learned the accused has created an account on a dating website specializing in "bondage, domination, sadism and masochism." He was also exchanging emails with a website that features child porn stories.

The most disturbing find was a series of emails between the accused and a young man in Spain named "Peter."

"He writes about his intent to live with this male in Spain after dealing with his criminal charges. He talks about buying a cage for their home. He indicates he would not mind seeing Peter (have sex with) 'younger lads'," police wrote. "He asks in another email if Peter would want to keep a younger teen as well. He refers to himself as 'Master' and to Peter as his 'boi'."

Police executed the second warrant last Thursday, seizing the new computer and electronic storage devices. Police have charged with man with breaching his bail conditions and are now poring through the material to determine what additional charges might be laid. The accused, Kenneth Kreton, remains in custody.

First of all, great article by Mike McIntyre! Such a great writer and the transitions from one idea to the next are stellar. 

This man should definitely be in custody. The activities he was participating in, were horrible.  

Edmonton man who made child pornography of daughters, friends and relatives, sentenced to 11 years prison

Man who made child porn of daughters, friends sentenced to 11 years prison

- An Edmonton judge has reluctantly agreed to an 11-year prison term for a city man who videotaped his sexual abuse of six children, including his own two daughters.

- Provincial court Judge Terry Matchett had adjourned the 37-year-old man’s sentencing last week after saying he was concerned the proposed 11-year joint submission by Crown and defence was too low for the horrific crimes.

- However, he agreed to the sentence on Tuesday, saying he “cannot conclude it is either unfit or unreasonable.”

- Matchett had earlier said he felt the proposed sentence was inadequate due to the the fact there were multiple victims and a “staggering” amount of child porn involved.

- But Tuesday, the judge accepted the submissions that the guilty pleas both showed remorse and spared the victims from “reliving the nightmares” by having to testify.

- Matchett also accepted that there were “evidentiary” problems with the case.

- The man, who cannot be named under a court-ordered publication ban protecting the identity of his daughters, was given 40 months credit for pre-trial custody time, leaving him with seven years and eight months to serve.

- He was also placed on the national sex offender registry for 20 years and banned from going to places where children are likely to be, for 20 years as well.

- The man earlier pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including sexual assault, sexual interference, incest and the possession and making of child pornography.

- According to agreed facts, the man was busted in June 2008 after a tip led police to raid a north-side home where he was living with his girlfriend and their daughter.

- Police seized several computers and eventually found 14,000 child porn images, some made by the accused, and 98 child porn movies, of which he had made 26 of them with his six child victims, including his two daughters.

- Matchett said the “enormous” child porn collection was filled with “disturbing” images taken by deviant predators that would shock ordinary people “to their core.”

- Court heard the remaining victims are a sister of his girlfriend, a cousin of one of his daughters and two friends of the other daughter and all but one of them were asleep when the child porn videos were made.

- One daughter, now 14, told police her father had been sexually abusing her for five to six years. She also said her dad would encourage her to invite friends for sleepovers, but she wouldn’t so nothing would happen to them.

- The man’s other daughter was about three years old when she was sexually abused on video, while the other victims ranged in age from seven to 15 years old.

- According to the agreed facts, one of the victims, who was a friend of the accused’s older daughter, had complained to police about being sexually assaulted by the man in 2004, however some inconsistencies and other concerns resulted in police not proceeding then with charges.

- That same victim also told police she had felt weird when she had woken up the morning after the assault and had difficulty moving her legs, which she described as numb.

- Another victim, who was also assaulted during a sleepover at the accused’s home, told police they were not allowed to have pop, but said the accused would only let them have a glass of milk which he provided to them.

- Matchett said it was aggravating that the sex offender had abused his position of trust with some of the victims, especially his own daughters, and harshly criticized him for abusing them for his sexual gratification, rather than protecting them and giving them a good, loving home.

- The judge also cited some of the victim impact statements filed in the case and noted that one girl had written: “He has stolen my life from me forever.”

- Just before being sentenced, the man apologized.

- “Obviously I have a problem and I’ll deal with it when I get to the penitentiary,” he said.

- Court heard the accused’s girlfriend is also facing related charges and has a trial set for June.

I always say that prison is not effective and does not deter, but in this case, I feel that prison is an appropriate sanction. This man abused his trust as a father and committing some horrible acts against his daughters, sexually abusing them for years. This man needs to be in prison under the principle of incapacitation (so he will not commit more crime) and denunciation (society's disapproval of the crime). He is eligible for full parole in just over 3 and a half years. In prison, he should participate in sex offender programs. 

Man who collected child rape videos gets 6 mos. prison and 18 mos. conditional sentence

Man collected child rape videos

- A man who collected videos that depicted small crying children being raped was sentenced to six months in jail, along with an 18-month conditional sentence.

- However, when given credit for the six months he already served in prison, Lucas Gannon was released to serve out the rest of his sentence in the community, and he will be staying at a dorm at the Salvation Army.

- In a passionate apology to the court, Gannon, 26, of Springwater Township, said he couldn’t stop himself from viewing child pornography.

- “I need help,” Gannon admitted, after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography as well as fraud and extortion. 

- He was also placed on three years of probation where he must seek treatment and stay away from children under 16.

- Court heard about his bizarre extortion scheme where Gannon posed as a buff firefighter and lured an adult woman into falling in love with him over the Internet. He threatened to post her sexy photographs if she didn’t send him more and more explicit sexual photos and videos of herself.

- The woman went to police, who searched his residence, and found dozens of videos and photos of child pornography on his computer as well as in his photo album. He was arrested May 14, 2009.

- The videos contained clips of small, naked children urinating or being raped or forced to perform oral sex.

- “Most disturbing is one clip of a teddy bear sitting on a penis while the child is performing oral sex,” said Justice Nancy Dawson as she described the content.

- “I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t stop,” said Gannon, standing in the prisoner’s box with handcuffs.

- “Somehow it got to be younger and younger children. I couldn’t stop.”

- Gannon admitted to buying children’s underwear to satisfy his urges, but he insisted he did not take the child pornography any further than viewing it.

- “But I know that by viewing it I was harming that child all over again.”

- Months after Gannon was arrested, he was diagnosed with leukemia while in jail and he now needs intensive treatment.

- “Maybe I deserve this after what I’ve done,” Gannon told the judge. “But what I’m trying to do is learn about it and get help so that it never happens again.” 

I believe this man when he says that he is trying to get help for his problem that he couldn't stop. I feel that a conditional sentence and probation are appropriate, because he needs medical help for his leukemia and in the community, he can receive counseling and treatment for his pornography addiction.