Judge agrees man seeking underage person
A Vancouver Island man caught in an Internet police sting has been convicted of seeking to have sex with an underage person.
Pai-Chih Chiang was found guilty of communicating for the purpose of obtaining for consideration the sexual services of someone under 18.
On April 14, 2009, police posted an ad on the erotic services section of the Victoria Craigslist.
The material part of the ad read "Sexy, New & Hot -- w4m -- 19 (Victoria" with the text reading "Sexy, young tight bodies lookin for fun."
In his reasons for judgment finding Chiang guilty, B.C. Supreme Court Justice David Harris noted that the ad was created by a police officer as part of a sting operation to deal with concerns about the provision of sexual services in the Saanich area by persons under the age of 18.
After an email exchange with an undercover police officer, Chiang showed up at a Saanich hotel in his Lexus.
Following a conversation with the undercover police officer, Chiang entered one of the hotel rooms where he was arrested.
In his ruling, the judge noted that there was no doubt that Chiang's purpose was to obtain the sexual services for consideration from a person but that the case turned on whether that person was under 18.
The Crown argued there was no doubt he wanted a person under 18 while the defence said there was a reasonable doubt about that issue and Chiang must be acquitted.
The judge concluded that Chiang had in fact sought out someone under the age of 18.
The defence is expected to bring an application to stay the charge based on what they allege was entrapment.
