A man hailing from Red Pheasant Cree Nation has been handed a six-year prison sentence for what the judge described as “horrific” actions. Blaisen Nicotine, aged 27, admitted to inappropriate contact with two minors and the dissemination of child pornography. Justice Brenda Hildebrandt, during Nicotine’s sentencing at Battleford Court of King’s Bench, condemned the abhorrent acts perpetrated against the children.
The incident at the center of the case occurred at a school within Red Pheasant Cree Nation, as disclosed by the RCMP following Nicotine’s initial arrest. The authorities were alerted after the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children flagged a video being traded on a social media platform. Nicotine, enrolled in adult education courses at the school, was identified as the perpetrator.
During Nicotine’s sentencing, it was revealed that he was caught filming himself in a bathroom stall engaging in inappropriate behavior when a young student entered. He lured the child closer, continued recording, and forcibly pulled the child’s arm. Nicotine later shared the video on social media, circulating it widely.
The second victim, a 13-year-old who misrepresented his age as 18 online, engaged in a series of sexual encounters with Nicotine in a private residence over a ten-day period. The victims’ identities are shielded by a publication ban, and no victim impact statements were presented in court.
The Crown prosecutor, Danie Cillers, and defense attorney Daryl Royer jointly proposed a six-year prison term, acknowledging that the starting point for sentencing in similar cases is usually higher. Cilliers cited Nicotine’s troubled upbringing marked by violence, alcohol and drug abuse, and childhood victimization as factors in the sentencing recommendation.
Expressing remorse, Nicotine sought forgiveness in court, acknowledging his regret for his actions and expressing a desire to change. The judge, while deeming the sentence “low” but appropriate, highlighted that Nicotine’s guilty pleas spared the victims from testifying. With credit for time served, Nicotine has less than four years remaining on his sentence.