Sex charges closer to resolution
By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on August 10, 2023.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com A 44-year-old Lethbridge man who late last year appeared to be on the verge of resolving several sexual related charges, is closer to resolving his matters. The matter of James Robert Martinac who had previously elected trial by Court of King’s bench judge alone, with a preliminary hearing on charges of sexual assault, sexual contact with a child, luring a child under the age of 18, possession of child pornography and sexual exploitation was in Lethbridge court of justice Wednesday for what was supposed to be a bail hearing.
 Martinac also faces single charges out of Calgary of sexual contact with a child and sexual assault, and multiple charges of possession of child pornography, as well as making/printing/publishing child pornography and distributing/selling child pornography, which were going to be part of the bail hearing.
 Lethbridge lawyer Scott Hadford and Tara Hayes from Specialized Prosecution Services in Calgary appeared in Lethbridge court of justice where they agreed to move the bail hearing date.
 “It’s become apparent to me and with the instructions of my client, that I need to move that bail hearing and forgo it for the time being. I think there’s been some real progress in what’s potentially going to be a resolution,” said Hadford.
 Hadford said they have a pre-trial conference scheduled for Aug. 24 and asked for the matter to go to that date. This was accepted by the Crown since it was her understanding that Hadford would not be speaking to show cause that day.
 Lethbridge police reported in May 2022 they had charged a man with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in 2021. A month earlier a 16-year-old girl reported to police that she had been sexually assaulted by a man who is known to her.
 Investigation by members of the criminal investigation section determined the girl, who was 15-years-old at the time, had been staying with the man at his home and was given drugs and sexually assaulted on multiple occasions over the course of several months in 2021.
 During their investigation police seized electronic devices that contained images of child pornography.
 -with files from Delon Shurtz Follow @APulidoHerald on Twitter 4
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