When Travis Menacho, a convicted child sex offender from Tulita, was released from North Slave Correctional Complex (NSCC) in August 2016, Northwest Territories took the rare step in warning residents across the territory of his risk to reoffend.
Less than two years later, Menacho did.
Deemed a SA国际影视传媒渧iolent sexual offenderSA国际影视传媒 by Mounties in 2016, Menacho pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman in Yellowknife in May of last year - his fourth conviction for a crime of sexual violence.
On the evening of May 23, 2018, the court heard during a sentencing hearing for the 29-year-old in NWT territorial court Friday, Menacho was drinking with a woman and another man at his hotel in downtown Yellowknife.
The woman passed out, and awoke to Menacho having sexual intercourse with her.
The victim tried to fight Menacho off. She screamed and cried for him to stop.
She reached desperately for the other man - passed out just feet away from her while she was being sexually assaulted.
Menacho placed a pillow over her face as she struggled and screamed.
The victim kneed Menacho in the groin and was able to escape. She walked to the Yellowknife detachment and reported the assault before being taken to Stanton Territorial Hospital, where a sexual assault kit was administered.
Menacho was arrested at his hotel hours later. A used condom, seized during the execution of a police search warrant, yielded the victimSA国际影视传媒檚 DNA. MenachoSA国际影视传媒檚 DNA was matched to semen located on a vaginal swab and on the victimSA国际影视传媒檚 underwear.
He has been in custody since arrest in May.
Fourth conviction for sex crimes
SA国际影视传媒淗e took advantage of a sleeping victim while he was on probation,SA国际影视传媒 said Crown prosecutor Jeannie Scott, noting MenachoSA国际影视传媒檚 lengthy criminal record as one of the most aggravating factors of the May sex assault.
Menacho was convicted in 2010 for sexually assaulting a 8-year-old girl.Three years later, in 2013, he was convicted of sexual interference after sexually touching an 8-year-old boy. In 2016, Menacho was sentenced to 10 months in jail and three years probation for sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl.
When he sexually assaulted his fourth victim in May, Menacho was still bound by probation from the 2016 conviction.
'Completely defenceless'
MenachoSA国际影视传媒檚 most recent assault has left a SA国际影视传媒渓asting impact on the victim,SA国际影视传媒 who was SA国际影视传媒渃ompletely defenceless,SA国际影视传媒 when he sexually assaulted her, said Scott. The woman - who filed a victim impact statement - is often anxious, angry and depressed, and copes daily with the SA国际影视传媒渢raumaticSA国际影视传媒 event,SA国际影视传媒 added Scott.
Scott, along with MenachoSA国际影视传媒檚 lawyer Tracy Bock, presented a joint-recommendation on sentencing: a prison term of three years and 8 months. Judge Garth Malakoe accepted the recommendation Friday.
Menacho's rehabilitation was a main consideration in crafting the recommendation, said Scott.
No high-intensity sex offender programs in territory
Mehacho, the court heard, participated in sex offender programs during his last incarceration - but territorial jails do not offer high-intensity programs. Those programs are only provided in southern prisons.
Bock told the court his client grew up in the shadow of the residential school system, and faced a SA国际影视传媒渟trong cycle of abuse and trauma.SA国际影视传媒
Many of his family members attending residential schools, and there was alcohol abuse in MenachoSA国际影视传媒檚 home, said Bock. Bock said Menacho also lives with SA国际影视传媒渃ognitive challenges,SA国际影视传媒 and may have undiagnosed fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). He said Menacho may have been sexually abused himself.
Bock said his client wants to change his life and SA国际影视传媒渂ecome a better person.SA国际影视传媒
SA国际影视传媒淚 wish I can turn back time,SA国际影视传媒 said Menacho, standing to address Judge Malakoe in a Yellowknife courtroom.
SA国际影视传媒淚 am sorry for making (the victim) suffer over and over,SA国际影视传媒 he said.
Judge's message to Menacho: 'It's going to get harder'
Malakoe said itSA国际影视传媒檚 easy, after 200 plus days in jail, to say SA国际影视传媒渢his is what ISA国际影视传媒檓 going to do when I get out SA国际影视传媒 but itSA国际影视传媒檚 not so easy.SA国际影视传媒
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 going to get harder.SA国际影视传媒
Malakoe said that unless the four-time convicted sex offender doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 take the next three years to confront SA国际影视传媒減ressuresSA国际影视传媒 present in his life - alcohol abuse, grief - heSA国际影视传媒檒l be back before the courts - again.
Malakoe said the May sex assault had a SA国际影视传媒渄evastating impactSA国际影视传媒 on the victim.
Menacho must submit a sample of his DNA, and is required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. HeSA国际影视传媒檚 barred from possessing firearms for 10 years after his release. On request from MenachoSA国际影视传媒檚 lawyer, Malakoe will make a judicial recommendation that Menacho serves his remainder of sentence in the North - to be close to ailing family - once he has completed high-intensity sex offender programs in a southern penitentiary.
SA国际影视传媒淚 hope you take my words to heart,SA国际影视传媒 said Malakoe before Menacho was placed back into custody.
With credit for time spend in remand custody SA国际影视传媒 444 days SA国际影视传媒 Menacho will have around two-and-a-half years left to serve.