An Estevan man charged with distributing child pornography and possession of child pornography pleaded guilty to possessing the illegal material during Monday proceedings in Estevan provincial court.
Crown prosecutor Roger DeCorby then stayed Bernard Sterling's charge of making child porn available to others. Sterling wishes to argue sentencing, so a sentencing hearing was scheduled for Feb. 6, 2012. He had previously elected a Queen's Bench trial and preliminary inquiry when he was pursuing a not-guilty plea, but Sterling had to re-elect after he changed plea in order for the matter to be heard at the provincial court level instead.
Sterling was charged in June 2009, after he was arrested as part of Operation SALVO, which involved law enforcement officials from throughout the country in a Canada-wide crackdown producing 57 arrests and more than 100 charges.
While the Integrated Child Exploitation Unit conducted the investigation in Saskatchewan, local Estevan Police Service officers aided in Sterling's arrest and the search and seizure of any child pornography.
During last Thursday's court proceedings, a drunk driver and serial driving offender was sentenced to six months in prison.
Jamal McArthur, a 25-year-old from Kisbey, entered guilty pleas to numerous charges, which included three charges of either driving while intoxicated or equivalently refusing to supply a breath sample, failure to stop at the scene of an accident and theft. McArthur was represented by Legal Aid, who along with the Crown prosecutor presented a joint submission to Judge James Benison.
Crown prosecutor Bill Burge suggested that for sentencing purposes, the impaired charges should be treated as a second conviction, though McArthur has no previous conviction for impaired driving.
"For someone so young, you've racked up quite an incredible number of offences and a lengthy record," said Benison.
He continued, "The joint submission is designed to protect the public from you for a period of time."
Benison said while he would accept the joint submission, he was concerned that once out of prison, McArthur would continue to offend if nothing was done to address his apparent addiction with alcohol. He suggested there be a period of supervision after the jail time had expired.
Robert Grimsrud, McArthur's Legal Aid representation, said a portion of the jail term could be served in the Impaired Driver Treatment Centre. Benison agreed for some of the sentence to be served in a recovery unit.
McArthur's licence is also suspended for two years, in which he will be ineligible to drive. He also has fines for ticket offences totalling more than $800.
In other court proceedings, Devon Maxie pleaded guilty to a drunk driving charge and failing to appear in court. The 31-year-old was arrested Aug. 19 and held in custody until he was sentenced last Thursday and then released.
Maxie received a one year driving suspension and $1,400 fine for the impaired charges. The fine was elevated for this first impaired conviction, as his blood alcohol readings were .190, more than twice the legal limit. He was sentenced to time served for the other charges. He was on remand twice this year from Feb. 3 to Feb. 14 and from Aug. 19 to Aug. 25.
Maxie faces other charges that he did not enter pleas to during Thursday's appearance. Those matters were adjourned until Oct. 13.
