Man awaits sentencing for distributing intimate images without consent

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on May 12, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

A Lethbridge man who distributed photos of his girlfriend on pornography sites will remain in custody while he waits to be sentenced later this year.
Shamus Jacques Turcotte hoped to be released on bail after he pleaded guilty Tuesday in Lethbridge provincial court to charges of breaching probation, failure to comply with release orders and publishing intimate images without consent.
Lethbridge lawyer Scott Hadford argued his client could be released and placed under the supervision of an older friend, with whom Turcotte could live and who would act as surety to ensure Turcotte complies with bail conditions. Although the woman assured the judge she could supervise Turcotte, Judge John Maher wasn’t convinced and denied him bail.
Turcotte will remain in custody while a pre-sentence report is prepared to help the judge determine a fit sentence. The report typically takes several weeks to prepare, but in the meantime the matter is scheduled to return to court May 24 to set a date for a sentencing hearing later in the summer.
Court was told the charge of publishing intimate images without consent relates to offences between Dec. 19, 2020 and Dec. 14, 2021, when Turcotte posted photos of his former girlfriend on pornography sites without her knowledge. The woman broke up with Turcotte in January 2021, but during their previous relationship she had taken a number of intimate and explicit images of herself and sent them electronically to Turcotte.
Turcotte posted the images on numerous website platforms, including Instagram and various pornography sites. The woman discovered what Turcotte had done when, in December 2020, she began receiving unsolicited messages from strangers saying they had seen her images and profile online and wanted to either chat or meet her.
The woman Googled her name and found it associated with several websites. She went on the websites, searched her name, and found profiles that included the images she had sent to Turcotte.
On Dec. 2, 2020 she received a message on Instagram from an unknown man, who said he had seen her profile and pictures on a website for amateur pornography photos and videos. The profile provided her name and age, indicated she had children and that she lived in Okotoks.
“The profile was captioned: ‘I’m seeking a thrill. I’m just here to have some fun,’ ” Crown Prosecutor Carolyn Ayre told court.
The woman also received text messages from strangers who said her boyfriend had shown them her pictures. She confronted Turcotte who admitted he had created the profiles and uploaded the pictures to various websites. He begged her not to tell his parole officer because he didn’t want to go back to jail.
“He apologized and told (her) he just let his fantasies get away with him, and he said he would delete all the profiles and posts,” Ayre said.
The woman continued to find new profiles and posts throughout 2021, some of which included her address, and men even began showing up at her home and workplace.
On May 12, 2021, Turcotte was arrested for distributing intimate images of his ex-girlfriend. He was released the same day on conditions that prohibited him from publishing or sharing personal information about the woman. However, between May 12 and Dec. 14, he continued to post her images online.
Turcotte was also on probation at the time of his offences, stemming from a three-year prison term he received in July 2019. He was ordered to appear at probation on July 26, 2021, but he failed to report and a warrant for his arrest was issued the following month. He was finally arrested Jan. 20 of this year.

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