Judge designates rapist a dangerous offender
SASKATOON A man from Saskatchewan’s White Bear First Nation who was convicted of sexually assaulting three women, including a Calgary security guard he violently raped in 2006, has been deemed a dangerous offender and ordered to serve two consecutive 10-year prison sentences.
The Crown had requested an indeterminate sentence for Renno Lonechild, 30, which could have put him behind bars indefinitely, depending on his conduct in prison.
However, in a written statement released last month, Queen’s Bench Justice Shawn Smith said he is “satisfied that there is a reasonable expectation that a lesser measure than an indeterminate sentence can adequately protect the public against the commission by Renno Lonechild of a serious personal injury offence.”
In November 2006, when Lonechild was 19, he sneaked into a construction site and assaulted a 34-year-old security guard who was working her first shift. The security guard heard someone on site and called police. In the 20 minutes it took officers to respond, Lonechild raped her, choked her with one hand, punched her in the face, kicked her upper body and told her to “calm down or I’ll kill you.”
According to court documents, Calgary police arrived to find Lonechild with his pants down, trying to flee the scene.
Lonechild admitted to police he had sexually assaulted the woman and said he was “horny and needed to get laid.” He also said he was “angry and took it out on the victim.” He pleaded guilty to sexual assault, overcoming resistance, forcible confinement and uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm.
Lonechild was released in December 2013. He later pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting two women — one in April 2014 and one in November 2014 — which prompted the Crown to seek the dangerous offender designation.
In the first incident, a Saskatoon woman had been drinking with Lonechild and passed out. When she woke up, she had no pants or underwear on. A rape kit returned DNA with a match to Lonechild.
In the second incident, a woman was found lying naked and unresponsive on a road on the White Bear First Nation. Forensic analysis again found Lonechild’s DNA.
Smith said he had “no hesitation” in finding Lonechild to be a dangerous offender.
In a psychological assessment, Dr. Shabehram Lohrasbe said it is not reasonable to conclude that Lonechild is “treatable” and there is a “high likelihood” he will commit further acts of sexual violence if he is released. Lohrasbe noted that Lonechild had completed treatment programs while in prison, but they did not appear to have changed his attitudes or behaviours. In fact, Lonechild told Lohrasbe he only participated in the programs to accelerate his release. Lohrasbe acknowledged that sex offenders’ risk of reoffending declines with age.
A report by a different professional said Lonechild’s risk to reoffend was roughly 14 per cent and said he can be successfully managed in the community under supervision.
Smith ordered Lonechild to serve two consecutive 10-year sentences for his 2014 assaults and then be released with a 10year supervision order. He must also register with the national sexoffender registry and is subject to a lifetime ban on possessing or using firearms or other weapons.