Warning: This article contains details about the sexual abuse of a minor that may be distressing to some readers.
The NWT Court of Appeal has increased a Yellowknife woman’s sentence for arranging for a 15-year-old girl to have sex with a 60-year-old man in exchange for money in 2022, but she won’t have to serve more time.
Alicia Moran had initially been sentenced in February 2025 to seven months in jail after pleading guilty to receiving a material benefit from sexual services provided by a person under the age of 18.
Under the Criminal Code, the charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison. But Moran’ lawyer had challenged that mandatory minimum as unconstitutional arguing it violated his client’s Charter right not to be subjected to any cruel or unusual treatment or punishment.
The defence had sought a 12-month conditional sentence, sometimes known as house arrest, while the prosecution had sought a sentence of imprisonment of two years.
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NWT Supreme Court Justice Andrew Mahar agreed with the defence that the mandatory minimum was “grossly disproportionate” in Moran’s case. He found, however, that the offence warranted jail time and sentenced Moran to seven months in jail followed by two years probation.
The Crown then appealed both the sentence and the finding that the mandatory minimum violated the Charter. It asked the appeal court to impose the two-year minimum.
In a ruling earlier this month, the NWT Court of Appeal declined to overturn Mahar’s finding that the mandatory minimum was of no force but did find the justice had made errors in sentencing Moran to seven months in jail. The three-judge appeal panel imposed a higher jail sentence of 18 months and two years probation.
Given that Moran was released from jail in June 2025, the appeal court stayed service of the remainder of her 18-month sentence. Moran remains subject to the probation order with the added condition that she abstain from consuming drugs or alcohol.
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Moran’s lawyer said she was on the waitlist for an addictions treatment centre.
Offence had profound impact on victim
In sentencing Moran, the court considered a variety of factors including the seriousness of the offence, the impact on the victim, Moran’s moral blameworthiness and her background.
In a victim impact statement, the girl said since the offence, she has become fearful and mistrusting of those around her, “suffered a rapid decline in her mental health,” and has dropped out of school because of her struggles with addiction.
According to the appeal court decision, at the time of the offence in July 2022, Moran was a 30-year-old single mother who was unemployed and struggling with drug addiction.
She said she was “desperate for money to buy crack cocaine” when she contacted John Robson to propose sexual services involving “a girl.” Moran said she did not know the girl’s age at the time and did nothing to determine her age.
Robson agreed to pay Moran a $60 “finder’s fee” and $40 for groceries.
Moran testified as a witness in Robson’s case. He was convicted of two counts of purchasing sexual services and acquitted of sexual assault.
