Yellowknife woman sentenced to 7 months for prostituting a minor

WARNING: This article contains details of sexual abuse and may affect those who have experienced​ ​​​sexual violence or know someone affected by it.

An N.W.T. Supreme Court judge sentenced a Yellowknife woman to seven months in jail for prostituting a minor.

Alicia Moran, now 32, earlier pleaded guilty to arranging for a 15-year-old girl to have sex with a man in Yellowknife in exchange for money.

Justice Andrew Mahar delivered his sentencing Thursday afternoon. He said the offence was serious.

Last August, Moran told the court she had been desperate for money to buy crack cocaine. Moran said she arranged for a man to have sex with the victim, who she believed was 18 but did not verify her age. Moran received $100 as a "finder's fee." 

The mandatory minimum sentence for selling a minor's sexual services is two years in prison, which the Crown was asking as well.

Crown prosecutor Adam Karbani said the offence has done "real harm to the victim." 

But the defence challenged that minimum sentence, saying it is a violation of Moran's constitutional rights against cruel and unusual punishment. 

Justice Mahar agreed, saying it would be "grossly disproportionate," given Moran's background and circumstances.

Mahar said Moran's actions were "not predatory" but rather "opportunistic."

The judge said he considered Moran's guilty plea, and her testimony last year against the man who paid to have sex with the minor.

Mahar said he also took into account that Moran is a widowed mother with serious addiction issues.

He noted she is still struggling with addiction. He said Moran went through a seven-week treatment program last year and was sober for 90 days but later relapsed. 

The defence had asked for a 12-month conditional sentence, which would mean Moran would not serve jail time as long as she abides by certain conditions.

Defence counsel Peter Adourian said Moran accepted responsibility for her actions. He also said Moran has completed the addictions treatment program and is working toward sobriety.

Adourian also said a conditional sentence would allow Moran to continue caring for her three children.

However, Mahar said in this case jail time is necessary. 

Mahar also recommended Moran serve her sentence at the Fort Smith Correctional Complex, followed by two years of probation.

Mahar told Moran that he hopes this doesn't happen again, and that she deals with her addiction problems. 

Moran told the court that she is "sorry" to the victim and her family.

In a victim impact statement, the girl wrote that she tried to commit suicide several times. She said she lost her precious teenage years struggling through this.

The victim's mother was present in court on Thursday. She broke down after the verdict.

Crown prosecutor Adam Karbani told CBC News that a jail sentence was required in this case, and that anyone who commits such an offence should expect to receive significant jail time. 

The man who had sex with the 15-year-old girl was also charged but found not guilty last year of sexual assault against a minor. He was found guilty of the lesser, related offence of paying for sex and ordered to pay a fine of $3,900. He was also ordered to have no contact with Moran or the victim.

Support is available for anyone who has been sexually assaulted. You can access crisis lines and local support services through this Government of Canada website or the Ending Violence Association of Canada database. ​​If you're in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911.