Alex Simard

The accused, Aurèle Guindon, faced eleven counts of sexual exploitation, sexual interference, and sexual assault involving three adolescent boys he employed for property maintenance.

The court found the accused guilty on seven counts of sexual exploitation involving two complainants (D.M. and Z.M.), while acquitting him on four counts related to a third complainant (B.M.) due to concerns about witness testimony tainting.

The central issue was credibility, with the court finding the testimony of D.M. and Z.M. credible and reliable, and rejecting the accused's denials.

The court applied the factors for determining a position of trust or authority under section 153 of the Criminal Code, concluding that such a relationship existed and that the accused's actions were for a sexual purpose.

The accused pleaded guilty to theft over $5,000 and obtaining money by false pretence after depleting over $219,000 from his elderly father's bank account while acting as Power of Attorney.

The father suffered from dementia and resided in a long-term care facility.

The accused used the funds to fuel a drug addiction.

The court accepted a joint submission, sentencing the accused to 8 months in jail followed by a 16-month conditional sentence, 3 years of probation, and a stand-alone restitution order for the full amount taken.