A man from Saskatchewan has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually abusing a young girl and creating illicit photos and videos of the abuse. Nicholas Melnyk, 36, was arrested after authorities were alerted by the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children about a video uploaded from an IP address in southern Saskatchewan.
Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Melnyk’s residence, where they discovered numerous images and videos of child sexual abuse on his cellphones. Among the material found were 26 photos and four videos depicting the abuse of a seven-year-old victim who was unrelated to him.
Melnyk pleaded guilty to charges of sexual interference, making child pornography, and possessing child pornography. The court documents revealed that he confessed to undressing the girl, engaging in inappropriate touching, and coercing her to touch him.
During the sentencing, the Crown recommended a 15-year sentence, which was reduced to 12 years to avoid excessive punishment for multiple charges. The defense, on the other hand, argued for an eight-year sentence, eventually reduced to seven years.
Justice Graeme Mitchell referenced a 2020 Supreme Court case that established new guidelines for child abuse sentencing. He determined that Melnyk should serve 13 years but reduced the sentence to 10 years after considering all factors.
Despite having no prior criminal record, Melnyk was not granted remand credit as he was not held in custody during the court proceedings.