Edmonton man accused of sex trafficking given 4.5 years for sex assault, child luring

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Warning: This story contains disturbing details. 

An Edmonton man has been sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for sexually assaulting a teenage girl and trying to recruit another into the sex trade.

Ross Pickering was led away to begin the sentence Friday after pleading guilty to counts of sexual assault and child luring. The 55-year-old former commercial painter sat motionless in the prisoner’s box as a prosecutor read a statement from Pickering’s victim, his eyes turning to the ceiling.

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Pickering and his wife Anita were charged in November 2020 after an investigation by ALERT, the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team. He was initially charged with five offences, including human trafficking, advertising the sexual services of another person, procuring a person under 18, and obtaining a material benefit from trafficking a person.

According to an agreed statement of facts, Pickering sexually assaulted a friend of a relative sometime between September 2009 and February 2010. The victim said she regularly spent time at the Pickering home in south Edmonton, which the agreed facts describe as a “very sexually charged environment.” The Pickerings regularly discussed their sexual lifestyle, including their activities with people outside their marriage.

Pornography was also regularly played on Pickering’s laptop and a large projector screen in the living room. Pickering sometimes offered the girl alcohol and drugs and encouraged her to undress.

Eventually, the Pickerings recruited the victim to shave his pubic hair in their bedroom, during which Ross sexually assaulted her. The victim left and never returned to the Pickering home, ending her friendship with Pickering’s relative.

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In her statement to court, the victim said she struggles with PTSD and other health issues as a result of the assault. She described Pickering as a “predator” who “manipulated and abused” a vulnerable youth.

“I was a young, naive girl who still had the ability to trust people,” she said.  

ALERT sting

In October 2020, an ALERT detective investigating Pickering on an unrelated matter discovered a Facebook profile matching his name. He messaged Pickering from a covert account posing as a 16-year-old girl.

Over the course of 11 days, Pickering engaged the undercover account in sexually charged conversations, offering her sex, drugs, and opportunities in the sex trade. He expressed his fondness for using “pint” (a street name for methamphetamine) and having sex, suggested the girl make pornography of herself, and professed that her age “doesn’t bother” him.

He also discussed his wife’s work in the sex trade and offered to set her up with one of her clients. He told her to lie about her age and suggested she delete her text message history “incase u have snoopyfriends thiefs or lose your phone (sic).”

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ALERT arrested Pickering on Nov. 3, 2020, and seized the phone he used to text the undercover operator.

Charges against Anita Pickering were dropped by the Crown after Ross Pickering’s guilty plea.

Home picketed

Court of King’s Bench Justice Douglas Mah accepted a joint submission from Crown and defence recommending a 4.5-year prison sentence.

Prosecutor Samantha Wesch said Pickering’s conduct merits prison time, saying he committed a “major sexual assault on a vulnerable complainant.”

She noted Pickering has a criminal record but called it “quite dated” with no related convictions. She acknowledged his guilty plea saved court time and prevented victims from having to testify.

Defence lawyer Kent Haryett said his client is remorseful for his actions. Pickering’s home was picketed after news broke of his charges, and he was threatened by “vigilante” groups, Haryett added.

Pickering has a Grade 9 education and has variously worked as a dishwasher, a line cook, a farm labourer, and a commercial painter and sandblaster in the oilfield who later started his own business doing coating inspections.

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Pickering has a number of health issues, Haryett added, including a traumatic head injury suffered after a 2018 fall from which he hasn’t fully recovered. When asked if he wanted to address court, Pickering replied: “Nope.”

Mah said he hopes Friday’s sentencing helps the victim “close the circle for her on her journey to recovery (and) that she’ll eventually get to the place she needs to be.”

The remaining charges against Pickering were withdrawn. He will be required to register under the Sex Offender Information Registration Act for 20 years.

jwakefield@postmedia.com

x.com/jonnywakefield

@jonnywakefield.bsky.social

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