WARNING THIS STORY CONTAINS GRAPHIC CONTENT.An Alberta judge sentenced an Edmonton man to seven and-a-half years behind bars after he was convicted of luring four underage kids..Nicholas Rice pled guilty to three counts of luring. In addition, he was found guilty of one count of obtaining sexual services from a minor..On Thursday, the judge handed down a seven and-a-half year sentence making an example of Rice as a warning to other potential offenders..An agreed statement of facts was entered about the guilty pleas..Following his arrest in September 2019 for unrelated charges, police issued a media release seeking victims who may have had contact with him..As a result of the media release, a person who remains unnamed contacted the police..In July 2019, the 16-year-old received a request from an Instagram user with the screen name “David” offering to be her "sugar daddy, specifically “David” offered money in exchange for nude images of her and companionship..Initially, messages were on Instagram, but they eventually moved their chats to Snapchat..The 16-year-old sent nude photographs of the entirety of her body.."David" had also sent videos of himself masturbating on multiple occasions..In addition to exchanging intimate photos and videos, the two spoke by audio chat on Snapchat several times..Approximately a week after they began communicating, the girl realized that "David" was her family's friend Nicholas Rice. The girl had known Rice through indirect associations with the family since she was five-years-old..When Rice's phone was searched, 11 images and eight videos of the girl were located on his cell phone. The girl stated all the images and videos were sent to the accused at this request..During the time the girl had contact with Rice he sent her at least three payments (possibly more) of $300 using Paypal. The payments were made on July 24 and 31 and August 12, 2019..On multiple occasions (at least two) occasions in the summer of 2019, Rice and the girl met in person and engaged in sexual activity. On at least two of these occasions, Rice drove the girl out of town. On at least one of these occasions during the sexual activity, Rice engaged in choking the girl.."Based on this agreed statement of facts and the evidence at trial I found that Rice befriended the complainant (aged 16 at the time) on social media and offered her money in exchange for sexual favors," Alberta Justice J.J. Gill said.."After entering into a so-called sugar daddy relationship, the complainant sent Rice the sexualized photos and videos in exchange for money. Rice provided specific directions in terms of the types of sexualized photographs and videos that he wanted the complainant to provide.".The court also noted that Rice was 300 pounds and the girl who sent the videos was 100 pounds.."I found these sexualized photographs and videos were provided for the sexual gratification of Rice. I also found that Rice was explicitly paying for the photos and videos and these were sexual services," Gill said.."In addition, considering the sequence in which the events unfolded: that is, the creation of a sugar daddy relationship followed immediately by the provision of sexualized videos and photos; and then followed the next day by sexual activity and a few days later payment of money, I concluded that Rice was also implicitly paying for the sexual activity which involved digital and sex toy stimulation."."Based on the evidence I also found the accused guilty of luring for the purposes of facilitating," Gill said.
WARNING THIS STORY CONTAINS GRAPHIC CONTENT.An Alberta judge sentenced an Edmonton man to seven and-a-half years behind bars after he was convicted of luring four underage kids..Nicholas Rice pled guilty to three counts of luring. In addition, he was found guilty of one count of obtaining sexual services from a minor..On Thursday, the judge handed down a seven and-a-half year sentence making an example of Rice as a warning to other potential offenders..An agreed statement of facts was entered about the guilty pleas..Following his arrest in September 2019 for unrelated charges, police issued a media release seeking victims who may have had contact with him..As a result of the media release, a person who remains unnamed contacted the police..In July 2019, the 16-year-old received a request from an Instagram user with the screen name “David” offering to be her "sugar daddy, specifically “David” offered money in exchange for nude images of her and companionship..Initially, messages were on Instagram, but they eventually moved their chats to Snapchat..The 16-year-old sent nude photographs of the entirety of her body.."David" had also sent videos of himself masturbating on multiple occasions..In addition to exchanging intimate photos and videos, the two spoke by audio chat on Snapchat several times..Approximately a week after they began communicating, the girl realized that "David" was her family's friend Nicholas Rice. The girl had known Rice through indirect associations with the family since she was five-years-old..When Rice's phone was searched, 11 images and eight videos of the girl were located on his cell phone. The girl stated all the images and videos were sent to the accused at this request..During the time the girl had contact with Rice he sent her at least three payments (possibly more) of $300 using Paypal. The payments were made on July 24 and 31 and August 12, 2019..On multiple occasions (at least two) occasions in the summer of 2019, Rice and the girl met in person and engaged in sexual activity. On at least two of these occasions, Rice drove the girl out of town. On at least one of these occasions during the sexual activity, Rice engaged in choking the girl.."Based on this agreed statement of facts and the evidence at trial I found that Rice befriended the complainant (aged 16 at the time) on social media and offered her money in exchange for sexual favors," Alberta Justice J.J. Gill said.."After entering into a so-called sugar daddy relationship, the complainant sent Rice the sexualized photos and videos in exchange for money. Rice provided specific directions in terms of the types of sexualized photographs and videos that he wanted the complainant to provide.".The court also noted that Rice was 300 pounds and the girl who sent the videos was 100 pounds.."I found these sexualized photographs and videos were provided for the sexual gratification of Rice. I also found that Rice was explicitly paying for the photos and videos and these were sexual services," Gill said.."In addition, considering the sequence in which the events unfolded: that is, the creation of a sugar daddy relationship followed immediately by the provision of sexualized videos and photos; and then followed the next day by sexual activity and a few days later payment of money, I concluded that Rice was also implicitly paying for the sexual activity which involved digital and sex toy stimulation."."Based on the evidence I also found the accused guilty of luring for the purposes of facilitating," Gill said.
