The Crown is seeking a dangerous offender or long-term offender designation for an Espanola man convicted of several child sex and exploitation charges.
Paul McColeman was found guilty last month of 34 charges, including communication for the purpose of child prostitution, luring children, sexual exploitation and indecent exposure involving 17 male minors from 2006 to late June 2014 in Espanola.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Patricia Hennessey ruled that he ran a “grooming and luring” operation out of his home, targeting teenage boys and even having some of them recruit others for the “pranks, dares and missions” that were actually ways McColeman would lure the boys into sexual encounters in exchange for money, booze or marijuana.
He was found guilty of 34 charges for offences involving 17 minors between 2006 and 2014 in Espanola.
McColeman was taken into custody after his conviction, and on Friday was led into the courtroom in the standard orange jumpsuit prisoners wear, his mother and sister sitting near the front.
He'll be back in court July 28, when the Crown will update the process. It will take about a month to determine which designation they will pursue.
