Former Ontario police officer posed as McGill student to sextort minor
A former police officer from Ontario has pleaded guilty to extortion and criminal harassment in relation to a sextortion case against a 17-year-old girl.
According to court documents, Alaa Almosawi, 34, first contacted the victim, who cannot be identified due to a publication ban, in November 2019 on Tinder.
The sentencing judgment notes that he called himself "Luca" and used the photo of a young man to describe himself as a 19-year-old McGill University student.
"The victim and 'Luca' exchanged text messages and then had occasional video chats on Skype," the judgment explains, adding "Luca" then started sending more intimate images of "himself" to the victim to entice her to do the same and give him her home address.
A few days later, the victim apparently received a message from someone purporting to be "Luca's" girlfriend.
At this moment, she cut off communication with the accused.
A few months later, after a rekindling of communication, Almosawi then revealed that his name was "Carter" and he actually lived in Toronto.
"He repeated that he was 19 years old," the judgment states. "He said that he was in love with her and missed seeing her naked."
That's when the threats of sharing her videos and photos began, according to the document.
"The accused again asked the victim to send photos and videos of her, threatening that otherwise, he would send the videos to her friends," the court document notes, adding that she periodically obliged to appease him.
By the end of January, the victim had gone to the police twice.
"Since she had provided the accused with her address, the victim was constantly fearful that he or someone he sent might appear at her doorstep," the judgment writes.
It adds: "Despite his threats, the accused had not actually saved them [the photos and videos]."
Following the accusations, Almosawi lost his job as a police officer.
He was sentenced to 15 months to be served in the community, followed by an 18-month probation and 240 hours of community service.
He is also prohibited from owning a weapon or using social media and must stay away from the victim.
"The accused takes full responsibility for his actions, does not minimize the gravity of his behaviour and feels remorse, which the Court considers sincere," the document adds.
The document concludes that Almosawi, who is in therapy, is "not a danger to society."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian former Olympic snowboarder wanted in Ontario double homicide: DOJ
A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder who is suspected of being the leader of a transnational drug trafficking group that operated in four countries is wanted for allegedly orchestrating the murder of an 'innocent' couple in Ontario in 2023, authorities say.
Ontario school board trustees under fire for $100K religious art purchase on Italy trip
Trustees with an Ontario school board are responding to criticism over a $45,000 trip to Italy, where they purchased more than $100,000 worth of religious statues.
A photographer snorkeled for hours to take this picture
Shane Gross, a Canadian marine conservation photojournalist, has won the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Tobacco giants would pay out $32.5 billion to provinces, smokers in proposed deal
Three tobacco giants are proposing to pay close to $25 billion to provinces and territories and more than $4 billion to some 100,000 Quebec smokers and their loved ones as part of a corporate restructuring process triggered by a long-running legal battle.
More Trudeau cabinet ministers not running for re-election, sources say shuffle expected soon
Federal cabinet ministers Filomena Tassi, Carla Qualtrough and Dan Vandal announced Thursday they will not run for re-election. Senior government sources tell CTV News at least one other, Marie-Claude Bibeau, doesn't plan to run again, setting the stage for Justin Trudeau to shuffle his cabinet in the coming weeks.
Robert Pickton's handwritten book seized after his death in hopes of uncovering new evidence
A handwritten book was seized from B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton's prison cell following his death earlier this year, raising hopes of uncovering new evidence in a series of unprosecuted murders.
Former members of One Direction say they're 'completely devastated' by Liam Payne's death
The former members of English boy band One Direction reacted publicly to the sudden death of their bandmate, Liam Payne, for the first time on Thursday, saying in a joint statement that they're 'completely devastated.'
Israel says it has killed top Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar in Gaza
Israeli forces in Gaza killed top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a chief architect of last year's attack on Israel that sparked the war, the military said Thursday. Troops appeared to have run across him unknowingly in a battle, only to discover afterwards that a body in the rubble was Israel's most wanted man.
Indian government employee charged in foiled murder-for-hire plot in New York City
The U.S. Justice Department announced criminal charges Thursday against an Indian government employee in connection with a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader living in New York City.