A High River woman who encouraged four teens to follow in her footsteps and engage in prostitution in exchange for drugs, alcohol and money will spend two years in jail.
Samantha Pedersen, 24 of High River, pleaded guilty under the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act in Okotoks Provincial Court on Aug. 17. She was sentenced to the maximum of two years under the provincial act. Pedersen will not have a criminal record, but the conviction will show up in some systems, such as the one used by the Crown prosecutor’s office and police.
Lawyers involved in he proceedings say it was not a case of luring and more a sad situation between a woman advising teenage friends on how to prostitute themselves at parties and online. None of the victims were in court for the sentencing.
“Ms. Pedersen became actively involved in prostitution in 2007,” reads an agreed statement of facts. “At the time she was fourteen years of age. She became entrenched in the lifestyle. Prostitution was her sole source of income. She also became a heavy user of both alcohol and illegal drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamines. By January 1, 2016, Ms. Pedersen had a well-established clientele. She would attend parties and exchange sexual services for money, drugs and/or alcohol. She also advertised her services on the internet."
Pedersen’s lawyer, Stephen Bitzer, said the situation was never a case of luring young girls into prostitution.
“They met at parties,” Bitzer said. “There was no luring or anything organized or a ring.
Bitzer said Pedersen apologized to the court and accepts the sentence.
“My client is remorseful,” he said. “My client has apologized and said it will never happen again.”
Pedersen’s family is also sorry for what has happened, he said.
“They want the entire community to know their heart goes out to the victims and they wish them a happy and healthy future and hope they thrive,” said Bitzer.
The sentence was a joint submission by Bitzer and assistant executive director of special prosecutions Brian Holtby.
“It’s seldom used,” Holtby said of the provincial legislation.
The Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act is mainly used to provide protection or apprehend children involved in the sex trade, but there is a section that allows for a sentencing of people who exploit youth, he said.
Under the criminal charges Pedersen was charged with, she faced a minimum five-year sentence, but under the circumstances, Holtby said he felt that much jail time was too severe.
Holtby said, and a psychologist’s reports showed she has significant cognitive disabilities.
Even though Pedersen was almost 10 years older than the victims, Holtby said she was of a similar maturity due to her cognitive issues and was like a peer to the victims.
“They seemed to share the drugs and alcohol,” Holtby said. “She wasn’t materially gaining from this.”
Holtby said the case was unusual and disturbing.
“It’s a sad case,” Holtby said. “I felt badly for (Pedersen) and I felt really bad for the victims.”
The girls were mainly prostituting themselves at house parties and at hotels in Okotoks and High River, he said.
“It’s also sad there are so many men willing to take advantage of them,” he said.
