A man from Red Pheasant Cree Nation has been sentenced to six years in prison for committing what the judge described as “horrific” acts. Blaisen Nicotine, 27, admitted to inappropriate contact with two young individuals for a sexual purpose and sharing child pornography. The sentencing took place in Battleford Court of King’s Bench, where Justice Brenda Hildebrandt expressed grave concern over the distressing nature of the offenses.
One of the incidents occurred at a school within Red Pheasant Cree Nation, as reported by the RCMP following Nicotine’s initial arrest. The police investigation was triggered by a report from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, alerting the Saskatchewan Internet Child Exploitation Unit about a video being traded on a social media platform. Nicotine was identified as a student enrolled in adult education courses at the school.
During Nicotine’s sentencing, it was revealed that he had filmed himself engaging in inappropriate behavior in a bathroom stall and then involved a young student who entered the bathroom. He proceeded to record the incident on his phone, pulling the child’s arm towards him. Nicotine later shared the videos on social media, circulating them to multiple recipients. Additionally, he engaged in sexual activities with a 13-year-old who had misrepresented his age as 18 during their initial online interaction.
The victims’ identities are protected under a publication ban, and no victim impact statements were presented in court. Crown prosecutor Danie Cillers and defense lawyer Daryl Royer jointly recommended the six-year prison term, acknowledging Nicotine’s troubled background marred by violence, substance abuse, and childhood victimization. Despite the gravity of the offenses, Nicotine expressed remorse in court, seeking forgiveness and expressing a desire to amend his ways.
The judge accepted the recommended sentence, emphasizing its appropriateness given the circumstances. Hildebrandt commended Nicotine for sparing the victims from testifying due to his guilty pleas and urged him to utilize the rehabilitation programs available in prison. Following time served on remand, Nicotine is left with approximately three years and nine months of his sentence remaining.