Woman took part in sex assault of girl advertised on Craigslist

HAMILTON — A 49-year-old Waterloo Region woman has admitted to taking part in the sexual assault of a seven-year-old Hamilton girl who was allegedly repeatedly victimized by her mother’s boyfriend who advertised the girl’s abuse on Craigslist.

Sonya Lucas pleaded guilty in a Hamilton courtroom Tuesday to sexual interference, making child pornography and possession of child pornography.

Court heard Lucas travelled with a man she knew as Mike McPhee to the girl’s Hamilton home in the middle of the night on April 27, 2016 where the girl was sexually assaulted, with the abuse recorded on cellphones.

According to the agreed statement of facts read by assistant Crown attorney Janet Booy, Lucas’ hands, with distinct pink nail polish, can be seen in the recording.

Lucas’ lawyer, Harald Mattson, said his client did not know they were going to see a child, but also admitted Lucas still participated after seeing the girl.

“She acknowledges that ... nobody held a gun to her head,” he said.

Lucas was involved in the sex trade and frequently texted and met with McPhee, whose real name is Rui DaSilva, to act out “daddy/daughter role playing.”

Sexually explicit baby dolls found in her Kitchener apartment formed part of the basis of her possession of child pornography conviction.

Last month, DaSilva admitted to twice travelling to the girl’s Hamilton home after responding to the Craigslist ad. He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual interference and two counts of making child pornography and returns to court June 15 for a sentencing hearing.

Lucas was already a registered sex offender at the time of her arrest Aug. 9, 2016 and has been in jail since then. Mattson gave some details of a difficult childhood and said Lucas has overcome a drinking problem.

She was arrested as part of the six-month-long Project Links investigation, which began in May 2016, after the girl told her father about the abuse. He called the Catholic Children’s Aid Society, who reported the case to police.

The boyfriend, a 34-year-old Hamilton man who cannot be named because it could identify the victim, faces 40 charges. His case remains before the courts.

The girl’s mother, who also can’t be named, was charged with failing to provide the necessities of life but had that charge stayed.

John Gallagher, 50, of Hamilton previously pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and making child pornography in relation to the case. He was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison.

Lucas returns to court Sept. 7 for a sentencing hearing, where a pre-sentence report and a Gladue report — a type of pre-sentence report for indigenous people — are expected to be presented.