A Sudbury man convicted of eight charges, including human trafficking, has been sentenced to five years for his crimes.
Paul Castonguay was convicted of eight charges on March 18, including trafficking a person under 18, as well as receiving a financial or other material benefits derived directly or indirectly from the trafficking of a person; material benefit from sexual services; assault causing bodily harm: chokes, suffocates or strangles; two counts of assault; possession of property obtained by crime (under $5,000) and breach of undertaking
In custody since his arrest, Castonguay was awarded pre-trial custody credit of 1,163 days meaning he has 662 days (approximately 22 months) left to serve.
Castonguay must add his name to the national sex offenders registry (to be listed for 20 years), and also now has a lifetime weapons ban. He was ordered to submit his DNA to the registry and once he leaves incarceration, be subject to a one-year probation order.
During the trial, Crown Attorney Mathieu Ansell called three witnesses and entered several exhibits. On Jan. 3 the court heard from the complainant, as well as Det-Cst. Stephen Bradley, the lead investigator on the case. Another Crown witness testified Feb. 26. There is a publication ban on testimony from the victim in the case, as well as their identity.
Michel called no witnesses on behalf of Castonguay before resting his case.
In his decision to convict, Bradley said he accepted the complainant was a believable witness and accepted her evidence, adding that the witness testimony was simple and clear, that she acknowledged flaws in her evidence and showed a willingness to answer questions in a forthright manner.
On that basis, Bradley found that all elements of the offenses Castonguay was charged with were met.
Jenny Lamothe covers court for Sudbury.com.