Crown wants 3 years jail time for former high school teacher found guilty of sexual exploitation

Crown and defence lawyers made sentencing recommendations for a Catholic school board high school teacher found guilty of sexual exploitation and making sexual material available to someone under the age of 18.

Ryan Turgeon, 39, chose not to say anything following submissions from the Crown and defence lawyers Monday morning.

As part of the same trial, he was found not guilty with regards to several other charges involving a second complainant.

According to an agreed upon statement of facts, Turgeon taught the complainant, who can't be named due to a publication ban, religion, civics and career and drama at Catholic Central High school. 

Crown prosecutor Jayme Lesperance says the student stated that he faced numerous sexual advances as well as explicit photographs and videos sent to him from Turgeon over a number of weeks or months between the fall of 2017 and summer of 2018.

Lesperance says the inappropriate messages began after a conversation between the two after a Grade 12 drama class in which the student expressed his uncertainty about his sexuality.

He says Turgeon's actions were an egregious breach of trust and asked Justice Brian Dube for three years jail time.

Sentence must show restraint, says defence

Paul Socka, the lawyer who made submissions on behalf of Turgeon Monday, asked for a sentence of 12 to 18 months.

He argued there were inconsistencies and uncertainties about how many images were sent and the content of the videos and images.

Socka agreed that denunciation and deterrence should be of utmost importance in the sentencing but he says as a first-time offender, any jail sentence given to Turgeon must also show restraint — and must be as short as is necessary.

He also added that Turgeon maintains his innocence. 

Dube says he will make his decision on Jan. 21.