Edmonton mechanic who lured teen girls on Snapchat sentenced to 11 years in prison

Article content

Warning: this story contains details some readers may find disturbing. 

An Edmonton auto mechanic who lured multiple teenage girls over Snapchat — in two cases trading alcohol and prescription drugs for sex — was led from a courtroom in handcuffs Friday to begin an 11-year prison sentence.

Article content

Noor Sultan was convicted by a jury last year of 12 counts, including child luring, sexual interference and obtaining sexual services for consideration, related to a series of crimes committed in the summer of 2020. At the start of his trial, he faced a total of 18 counts.

Article content

Court heard Sultan, who was 26 at the time of his arrest, made contact with his four victims, who were all 14, over the social media service Snapchat. After arranging to meet, Sultan drove to Beaumont and picked the girls up in his car. In two cases, he drove the victims to a secluded area and made them perform sex acts on him.

Sultan was a journeyman mechanic at Parsons Auto in south Edmonton, a repair shop owned by his parents. At some point, he began contacting girls on Snapchat. He promised the girls money, alcohol and prescription drugs in exchange for sex. He used multiple screen names, including “djmalik101” and “Malik Saifi.”

During trial, Sultan admitted he knew the girls and that they requested alcohol. But he insisted no sexual acts were performed, and that there were no arrangements made for the girls to have sex with him.

One of the girls told court she still has nightmares about her time with Sultan and even considered suicide.

“I feel like a prisoner in my own head, replaying the nights and wondering why I was so stupid to get in the car,” said the victim, whose name is covered by a publication ban. “I used to see him in crowds watching me, but it was just a cruel joke my mind played on me. I would cringe and panic every time I saw the same car model as his.”

Article content

Article content

Sultan was arrested Oct. 21, 2020, after his name came up during an unrelated missing persons investigation.

Crown prosecutor Parm Johal told Court of King’s Bench Justice Kent Davidson he should sentence Sultan to 17 years in prison, while defence lawyer Eamon O’Keeffe asked for eight to 10 years.

Johal said a 21-year sentence would have been appropriate, but removed time to take into account “totality,” a legal principle that urges judges not to impose “crushing” prison terms when dealing with consecutive sentences.

Davidson said the Supreme Court recently re-emphasized the harm caused by child sex abuse in its Friesen decision. He said any sentence must denounce and deter such abuse.

Sultan showed a “substantial” amount of planning, including driving to meet the girls and taking them to an industrial area that was gated and locked, Davidson said. Sultan also used multiple social media accounts and did not use a condom when abusing the girls.

Davidson also noted several mitigating factors, including Sultan’s relative youth, his lack of a prior criminal record and his “strong” family and community support. However, the judge said there is little to gauge Sultan’s likelihood of reoffending, or whether he has any insight into his crimes.

Article content

Davidson initially settled on a sentence of 12 1/2 years, but reduced the amount for totality. One woman in the gallery could be heard to scoff at the amount.

“This is a harsh lesson about being a slave to your desires,” Davidson told Sultan at the conclusion of his decision.

Before being led away by sheriffs, Sultan hugged a man who had been sitting in the gallery. As he looked over his shoulder one last time, the man threw both hands in the air.

Sultan was granted two months of credit for time spent in pre-trial custody. He must also register under the Sex Offender Information Registration Act and provide a DNA sample.

[email protected]

twitter.com/jonnywakefield

Article content