'MrJetzTV' Darrell Ackman to be sentenced May 27 for child prostitution, pornography - Action News
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Manitoba

'MrJetzTV' Darrell Ackman to be sentenced May 27 for child prostitution, pornography

A Winnipeg woman is blaming Darrell Ackman for her sister's death the teen took her own life, she said, after Ackman sexually exploited her.

Ackman, who was found guilty of 14 charges, will be sentenced May 27

Darrell Ackman was found guilty by a jury in March of running a prostitution ring with underage girls and making child pornography. (CBC)

A Winnipeg woman is blaming DarrellAckmanfor her sister's death the teen took her own life, she said, after Ackman sexually exploited her.

"No 16-year-old should have to end her life," the woman said in court on Friday while looking at Ackman.

Apublication ban is in effect for the names of the victims.

Court heard the girl was 14 when Ackman, 46, exploited her. Shedied roughly two years later.

"Darrell Ackmanmade her do things that she probably didn't know weren't right," the woman said outside of court.

"A part of me forgives him because in order to move on in my life, I have to forgive him even though he made her do those things. And I hope he forgives himself."

A jury had found Ackman, who posted YouTube videos of women and teenage girls underthe online moniker MrJetzTV, guilty of 14 out of 17 charges that include running a prostitution ring with underage girls, living on the avails of prostitution and making child pornography.

The chargeswere in relation to seven victims, five of whom were under 18. The victims ranged in age from 14 to 22.

He is expected to besentencedin late May.

Crown prosecutorJennifer Mannrequested thatAckmanservea total sentence of 20 years.

LawyerZillaJones, whorepresentedAckmanat thesentencing hearing, asked to have thecharges served concurrently for a total sentenceof seven to 10 years.

After hearing statements from the Crown and defence on Friday,Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench Justice Chris Martinreserved his decision until May 27.

"Ackman ruined my life," anothervictimwrote in her impact statement, which was presented in court.

The victim, who cried in the courtroom as the Crown read her statement aloud, said she was sexually assaulted by Ackman while intoxicated by drugs and alcohol.

Victims provided with drugs, alcohol

Ackmanwas arrested in 2012 and hadpleaded not guilty to all 17 original charges.A Winnipeg police detective involved in surveillance ofAckmanpreviouslysaid phone numbers in online escort ads led police to him.

Court heard thatAckmanprovided his victims with drugs and alcohol, had sex with some of them and made child pornography.

Three of theunderage victims were in the care of Manitoba's Child and Family Services system, court was told.

"Before Ackman, I was a normalteenager.He got me into the sex trade," one underagevictim wrote in her statement, which Mann read aloud in court.

"After Ackman, I stayed in the sex trade. I ran away all the time, used drugs and alcohol."

The victim wrote that she overdosed three times after Ackman introduced her to the sex trade.

Another victim, who was 14 at the time, fled to the East Coast to avoid seeing Ackman in court, Mann said. She did not provide a victim impact statement.

Poses risk ofreoffending, Crown argues

Court heard that a pre-sentencing report assessesAckmanas a highrisk toreoffend. The report also saidAckmantold the probation officer he didn't feel he neededcounselling.

"He has normalized this behaviour" of using escorts, Mann told the court.

"Not only does Ackman score as high risk, he is high risk. We've seen it."

Jones told court thatAckman has spent 1,026 days in jail to date, with much of that time spent in a solitary areaafter being given a hard time by other inmates.

Ackman has been spat on and called various names, he's had urine tossed at him and a bottle of feces flung into his cell, said Jones, who added that her client is too afraid to leave his cell for his 30-minute time allotment.

WhenAckmanwas given an opportunity to address the court on Friday afternoon, he spoke for over half an hour, defending himself and making allegations against the victims. Martin stopped him on at least a couple ofoccasions.

At one point,Ackmanasked the judge to give him the time he served in custody as his sentence, but Martin said that would not happen.Ackmanalso asked to serve the remainder of his sentence at home.

With files from Jillian Taylor