SASKATOON -- A 46-year-old man facing charges related to sexual interactions and conversations with two teenage girls pleaded guilty Monday morning in Saskatoon Provincial Court.
Jason Troy Hann entered a guilty plea to charges of sexual exploitation of persons under the age of 16, child pornography, child luring and voyeurism that stem from two ongoing personal interactions with two girls, aged 15 and 16.
In February, Saskatoon police said investigators became aware of two teenage girls that we being sexually exploited. Hann was accused of luring victims through his cellphone using a popular text-messaging application to send pornographic images. Hann was arrested on Feb. 13, 2020.
Following a guilty plea on Aug. 10, crown prosecutor Lana Morelli laid out the crown's evidence against Hann, stating that he knowingly exploited two teenage girls entering — as she referred to it — a sugar-baby and sugar-daddy relationship. The events took place between December 2019 to February 2020.
Morelli said the initial complaint against Hann came after the mother of one of the teenage girls came forward. Based on the evidence police obtained from the girl's cellphone, Morelli said they were able to identify a second teenage victim in the matter.
The identities of the teenage victims are protected under a publication ban.
Morelli took the courtroom through over 100 pages of documents submitted as evidence, showing the text messages and pictures Hann sent to one of the teenagers. The conversations show was Morelli called "sexually-charged" messages, pornographic pictures of himself and sexual images of another girl. Morelli read out some of the messages Hann sent to the young girl, describing his sexual likes and dislikes, sharing images of himself and asking for images of the girl in return.
In one instance, the court heard how Hann made arrangements with the two teenagers to meet at a motel on Idylwyld Drive where the victims reported Hann performed oral sex on the two.
From sending pictures of his genitals to asking for nude photos of his victims, court heard how Hann knew the age of the girls, but continued to manipulate them with money and by paying for their housing. In one instance Hann agreed to pay a girl $200 for sex, or $300 for anal sex.
Evidence from the text conversations obtained by police shows Hann was aware the girls were 15 and 16 years old at the time, and that those facts did not stop Hann from continuing his relationship with them. Morelli read out a portion of a text conversation between Hann and one of the teen girls, indicating ‘he knows how old (they are)’ At one point Hann texts “I don’t care how old you are, you’re damn gorgeous.”
Court heard how Hann had paid to bring a teen girl from Newfoundland to Saskatoon where he paid for her housing and traded sexual acts for money.
In total, the crown said Hann captured and shared 12 images with one teenage girl which the crown said would be considered child pornography, and three images of his genitals and other pornographic pictures not related to himself or the victims.
The crown and defence entered a joint-submission asking or a five-year incarceration sentence, which Judge Bruce Bauer accepted. In his decision Bauer said these sexual offences against minors were planned and deliberate and carried over a few months. He acknowledged Hann expressed remorse for his action and entered an early guilty plea.
With credit for time on remand, Hann will serve four years, three months and eight days for his crimes.
Bauer also ordered Hann’s DNA be kept on file and a lifetime firearms ban. The crown also ordered a 161 prohibition, meaning after his release, Hann is prohibited from attending a public park or public swimming area where there are people under 16 years of age. And a no-contact order for any of the victims involved in this matter.
Morelli told CTV a third woman came forward after the initial charges against Hann came to light. Hann also pleaded guilty to an assault charge involving the woman and sexual exploitation.
This is a developing story. More details to come.
