Former Air Cadet captain gets 16 years for sexual offences involving children

WARNING: This story contains details some readers may find distressing.

A former Air Cadets captain in Ottawa has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for sexual crimes against children.

Adrian Schmid, 50, was found guilty in November of eight charges, including five involving sexual abuse against children and another three involving child pornography.

One charge for accessing child pornography was stayed because of the Kienapple principle, which prevents Canadians from being punished twice for the same crime.

During his weeks-long trial last year, Schmid pleaded not guilty to the charges.

At his sentencing Friday, Justice Pierre Roger emphasized the long-lasting effects of sex crimes involving minors, but also noted Schmid has no prior criminal record. A psychiatrist's assessment indicated Schmid was willing to commit to further therapy, court heard. 

With time served, Schmid has 11 years and four months of his sentence left. The Crown had sought 20 years and six months, while Schmid's defence asked for 10 years.

Key to the trial was the testimony of two young boys who claimed Schmid had touched them sexually. Their identities are protected under a publication ban.

Roger said he found the boys' testimony credible and reliable, and said text messages between Schmid and one of the boys showed strong evidence of grooming and an inappropriate relationship.

Court also heard from an investigator who testified that police recovered more than 11,000 images and 140 videos of child pornography from a USB drive taken from Schmid's house.

The Canadian Armed Forces previously told CBC News that Schmid, who served as a cadet instructor cadre officer, had been released from its reserve force in January 2023.