Natalie Castonguay

The accused was convicted of extortion and sexual assault following a six-day trial, and subsequently pleaded guilty to multiple additional charges including breaches of probation, criminal harassment, uttering threats, luring minors, and making sexually explicit material available to minors.

The court imposed a sentence of two years less a day, with the accused having received credit for pre-sentence custody.

The sentencing considered the offender's borderline intelligence, his pattern of targeting young women and girls through online manipulation, and the serious harm caused to the victim.

The court balanced denunciation, deterrence, and rehabilitation, with emphasis on treatment at a specialized facility.

The accused was charged with extortion and sexual assault.

The primary issue was whether the complainant, a young woman with intellectual disabilities, properly identified the accused as the person who extorted her into sending nude photographs and subsequently sexually assaulted her at a marina.

The Crown's case rested entirely on identification evidence.

The accused denied ever meeting the complainant or engaging in any of the alleged conduct.

The court found the complainant's identification credible and reliable, distinguishing this case from typical eyewitness identification cases because the complainant had a photograph of the accused before meeting him in person.

The court rejected the accused's denials as implausible and found him guilty of both counts.