Sentencing delayed in Craigslist sex abuse case
Hearing in November over disagreement of facts in guilty plea
A Waterloo Region woman, who admitted to taking part in the sexual assault of a seven-year-old Hamilton girl, has had her sentencing hearing delayed over a disagreement of facts in her guilty plea.
In June Sonya Lucas pleaded guilty to sexual interference, making child pornography and possession of child pornography. She admitted to travelling to the girl’s Hamilton home in the middle of the night April 27, 2016 with a man she knew as Mike McPhee.
The abuse was recorded on cellphones and McPhee, whose real name is Rui DaSilva, was responding to a Craigslist advertisement allegedly posted by the girl’s mother’s then boyfriend. DaSilva admitted to twice taking part in the abuse and was sentenced last month to an additional six years and four months in prison after credit for a year and eight months in pretrial custody.
In court Thursday the prosecution and defence said they could not agree on what happened before the camera was recording, specifically what Lucas knew before arriving at the home and whether she participated in any abuse before the cellphone camera recording. This will be examined in a Gardiner hearing — to hear disputed facts in a guilty plea — set for Nov. 14.
Both Lucas and DaSilva were arrested as part of project Links, an investigation that began in May 2016 after the young victim told her father about the abuse.
The girl’s mother’s former boyfriend, who cannot be named because it could identify the victim, faces 40 charges and his case remains before the courts.
He’s accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting the girl, recording the abuse and advertising for others to participate on Craigslist.
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, seven months in jail.