Justice Paul Pearlman will deliver his sentencing ruling on Friday in Cranbrook Supreme Court for two members of Bountiful who were found guilty of a child trafficking charge in Februrary.
In February, Brandon James Blackmore and Emily Ruth Gail Blackmore were found guilty of removal of a child from Canada under a criminal code subsection that the child’s removal from the country would facilitate sex offences.
Crown is seeking jail terms between six to 18 months for both, while Brandon James Blackmore, who has legal counsel, is asking for a conditional sentence that could be served within the nearby community of Creston.
The saga continues. Sentence to be delivered on Aug. 11. Crown asking between 6-18 months.https://t.co/aWEevkEk6T
— Trevor Crawley (@tcrawls) June 30, 2017
Following the guilty verdicts, Pearlman ordered a pre-sentencing report, which — according to Blackmore’s lawyer — indicates that he feels remorse for his role in bringing his daughter across the US border in 2004 to marry Warren Jeffs, the religious leader and prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Emily Blackmore is unrepresented, however, Joe Doyle, a court appointed lawyer who acts as a counterbalance to the prosecution but cannot offer legal advice or strategy, has been making arguments on her behalf.
Doyle told the court during a sentencing hearing that Emily Blackmore that a conditional sentence in the 90-day range, as well as probationary or community service measures, would be appropriate.
Special prosecutor Peter Wilson approved the charges in 2014 against Brandon James Blackmore and Emily Ruth Gail Blackmore, who were found guilty following a trial in Cranbrook. Evidence included testimony from former Bountiful members, RCMP investigators and documents such as marriage, personal and priesthood records seized by US law enforcement at an FLDS compound in Texas in 2008.
James Marion Oler, a third co-accused for the same child removal charge, was acquitted.