Man to enter pleas on sex charges
By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on August 25, 2023.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com A 44-year-old Lethbridge man who late last year appeared to be on the verge of resolving several sex-related charges, then later decided to stand trial, will now resolve his charges with guilty pleas.The matter for James Robert Martinac was in Lethbridge court of justice on Thursday, where the Crown pointed out a pre-trial conference earlier in the morning to set dates for a preliminary hearing did not proceed, and the case will be resolved in October, instead.
“It had been the intention of Mr. Hadford (Martinac’s lawyer) to set those matters for a preliminary hearing; however, he confirmed before your brother justice this morning that his instructions have changed and we are setting that date of Oct. 6 , 2023 for a disposition date with the intention that the pleas would be entered, but the matter would be adjourned for sentencing,” explained Crown Prosecutor Kathleen Tokaruk.
Lethbridge lawyer Cara Lebenzon, who acted as Hadford’s agent Thursday, said the adjournment to Oct. 6 would also allow time for Hadford to discuss the case further with the accused.
“There have been some new charges added to the bunch, and he requires some time to go through them with Mr. Martinac,” Lebenzon said.
During a brief court hearing in June, James Robert Martinac 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. However, he faces newer charges out of Calgary of sexual contact with a child, sexual assault, possession of child pornography, distributing child pornography, and making child pornography.
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. Follow @DShurtzHerald on Twitter 4
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