Jason Troy Pitts is escorted into Kentville Supreme Court Thursday for his sentencing hearing on child pornography, internet luring, and communicating with another person to commit an offense against minors. Photo by Ian Fairclough /The Chronicle HeraldArticle contentJason Troy Pitts should be sentenced to between 12 and 12 and a half years in jail for his latest convictions on child pornography and other sexual offences, the Crown says. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentCrown attorney Peter Dostal said his recommendations for penalties on each of the counts totaled 19 years, which he reduced taking into account legal principles around totality and not handing down “crushing sentences.” Article contentArticle contentArticle contentHe made his submissions to Justice Gail Gatchalian this week in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Kentville. Article contentDefence attorney Ken Greer is requesting a sentence of six years and seven months. Article contentBoth recommendations are without taking into consideration about four years of remand credit Pitts has accumulated since being taken into custody in February 2023. Article contentPitts, 49, pleaded guilty April 17 to internet luring, several child pornography charges, and two counts of communicating with another person to make arrangements to commit an offence against minors. One of the communicating offences covers people under the age of 18 years, and the other is for people under the age of 16. Article contentMost of the charges involved children in overseas locations.Article contentRCMP started an investigation in July of 2022 after getting a tip that Pitts was using the internet in violation of a lifetime ban ordered after previous child pornography convictions. Two months later they seized documents and devices including cellphones, computers, computer accessories, and charged Pitts with violating the order. Article contentArticle contentIn February 2023, Pitts was arrested again after police finished their forensic examination of the seized items. Nine devices that were seized were found to contain almost 2,500 video and photo files referred to as CSAM, or child sexual abuse material. Article contentConst. David Trenholm, the RCMP’s lead investigator in the case, testified at the sentencing that most of the girls in the material appeared to be between four and 12 years of age. However, there was an image of a child being abused who was wearing a diaper and appeared to him to be under one year of age. Article contentTrenholm presented a sampling of eight random screen grabs from some of the files, which showed abuse including sexual assault and children forced to touch males in a sexual way. Article contentAmong the full collection was an image of bestiality involving a dog. Article contentDostal also provided the court with copies of text messages, in which there were discussions with children being subjected to sexual acts in live on-line feeds for amounts of money in euros.
Repeat Valley child pornography producer should get 12 years in jail, Crown says
