Man who had sex with minor gets 41/2 years

FORT MCMURRAY A Fort McMurray man who made two overseas trips to have sex with a teenage Irish girl he’d been grooming online has been sentenced to 41/2 years in prison.

Jashua Tremblay, 34, pleaded guilty to luring charges and sexual interference.

Court in Fort McMurray heard earlier this week that Tremblay met the girl online in 2013 and began communicating with her through a messaging app, according to an agreed statement of facts.

After flattering the 13-year-old, Tremblay, who was married with a child, began to have sexual conversations through the app. He sent naked pictures of himself to her, and encouraged her to reciprocate. He also sent the girl explicit audio messages about sexual acts he wanted them to perform on one another.

When Tremblay made his first trip to Ireland, the girl was 14. She told her father — her only surviving parent — she would be spending a weeklong school break with a friend. Instead, she and Tremblay stayed in hotels and a tent.

They had intercourse three times. The facts read out in court note the girl wasn’t forced, despite being too young to consent to sex.

Her father later found a letter Tremblay sent to her and contacted Tremblay, who claimed he was 19 and would stop contacting the girl.

But he travelled to Ireland again during another break in the girl’s schooling. They spent 10 days together, staying in a rented home in a seaside town. At first, neighbours thought they were a vacationing father and daughter, but called police after noticing an unusual amount of affection.

When police contacted the teenager’s father, the girl was questioned about where she had been during her break. Irish police investigated, and connected with Canadian authorities once Tremblay was identified. Members of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams arrested Tremblay in December 2015 in Fort McMurray.

On Tuesday, Tremblay apologized repeatedly for his actions.

The Crown asked for a five-year sentence. It cited the seriousness of the case and the fact Tremblay didn’t stop his involvement with the girl after being caught.

Tremblay’s defence, in asking for a four-year sentence, said he made bad decisions because his marriage was falling apart, but was taking responsibility for his actions.

The sentence also includes a 10year ban from the Internet and from locations where children are present after he is released.