An Espanola man convicted of several sex-related charges involving several young boys is expected to be sentenced in the near future.
Sentencing hearing dates of June 27th and 28th in Sudbury court for Paul McColeman have been set according to The Crown.
The Crown says it will be seeking either a dangerous offender or long-term offender designation for McColeman.
He also underwent a psychiatric assessment last fall.
McColeman, 45, has been in custody since he was convicted June 29th, 2017 of 34 sex-related and luring charges in Espanola over an eight-year period.
Two of the luring convictions were stayed leaving McColeman with 32 convictions for sentencing purposes.
Still with the story, according to a website, Justice 4 Paul, supporters want the sentencing over with, so they can begin the appeal process.
The site also indicates they will not be seeking a psychiatric assessment of their own although McColeman is legally entitled to it.
The process for a dangerous offender or long-term offender designation
A judge who hears a dangerous offender application can dismiss it and proceed with regular sentencing. If the application is granted, one of three things could result: indefinite incarceration; the issuing of a defined sentence followed by a long-term supervision order of up to 10 years; or regular sentencing.
The judge could also rule that the person should be classified as a long-term offender (a lesser risk to reoffend) and receive a defined sentence with a long-term supervision order.
According to Public Safety Canada, the dangerous offender designation is intended to protect the public from the most dangerous violent and sexual predators in the country. The designation can carry an indefinite prison sentence.
The history of the case
McColeman was facing 36 charges including communication for the purpose of child prostitution, luring children, sexual exploitation and indecent exposure involving an alleged 17 male minors from 2006 to late June 2014 in Espanola. Two of those charges were stayed by the Crown May 1, leaving him with 34.
McColeman was initially arrested July 10, 2014, by Espanola Police and charged with 70 offences involving young boys.
After getting bail, McColeman was re-arrested in late August 2014 and charged with breaching his recognizance. In December 2014, he was acquitted of the two alleged breaches and released again on bail.
The Crown alleged McColeman set up several personas or identities – Jennifer Johnstone/Jen Pooh and Treber Boucher on Facebook and Hyperchick on MSN Messenger – to contact teenage boys in Espanola and offer them rewards such as drugs, alcohol or cash for participating in sexual acts with him or strangers. The sexual acts, which included oral and anal sex, were referred to as “missions” or “dares” in the messages the teens received, according to the Crown.
During examination-in-chief, McColeman denied having sexual relations with various teen males over the eight-year period, and said he had never even heard of or met some of them.
