A man from Red Pheasant Cree Nation has received a six-year prison sentence for committing what the judge described as “horrific” acts. Blaisen Nicotine, 27, admitted to sexually touching two minors and sharing child pornography.
Justice Brenda Hildebrandt, presiding over the case at Battleford Court of King’s Bench, condemned the actions, stating that the harm inflicted on the children was unacceptable. One of the incidents occurred at a school within Red Pheasant Cree Nation, as reported by the RCMP following Nicotine’s initial arrest. The investigation was triggered after the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children alerted the Saskatchewan Internet Child Exploitation Unit about a video being circulated on a social media platform.
During Nicotine’s sentencing, it was revealed that he had recorded himself engaging in inappropriate behavior in a bathroom stall, where he involved a young student who entered the restroom. Nicotine then proceeded to share the video on social media to multiple recipients. Additionally, he engaged in sexual activities with a 13-year-old who misrepresented his age as 18 during their online interactions.
The victims’ identities remain protected by a publication ban, and no victim impact statements were submitted to the court. Crown prosecutor Danie Cillers and defense attorney Daryl Royer proposed a joint recommendation of a six-year prison term, considering Nicotine’s troubled background marred by violence, substance abuse, and childhood victimization.
In court, Nicotine expressed remorse for his actions, seeking forgiveness and expressing a desire to redeem himself. Acknowledging the severity of the crimes, Judge Hildebrandt approved the six-year sentence, emphasizing its appropriateness given the guilty pleas that spared the victims from testifying. Nicotine is set to serve approximately three years and nine months after factoring in time served before the trial.