Accident – Death – Obituary News : **WARNING: This story contains details of child sexual exploitation and pornography**
In a small town in Prince Rupert, B.C., a former Baptist associate pastor, Nathan Allen Joseph Legault, found himself in the midst of a disturbing case involving child pornography. After being charged with possessing child pornography, Legault tried to use a distant connection to his great-great-grandmother, who was Métis, in a bid to receive special consideration during his sentencing as mandated by Canada’s highest court for Indigenous offenders.
However, the judge presiding over the case, David Patterson, found that Legault’s newly self-identified Indigenous status did not diminish the gravity of his crimes. Despite Legault’s attempts to leverage his newfound identity, the judge emphasized the need for courts to be vigilant against non-Indigenous offenders trying to exploit the system.
Legault’s crimes involved sending graphic images of himself to teenage girls he had met while working as a youth camp director and pastoral intern. He pleaded guilty to two counts of making and possessing child pornography, but the judge expressed discomfort with the sentencing agreement that allowed Legault to avoid hard jail time.
The judge’s ruling, posted online recently, delved deep into questions of Indigenous identity and raised concerns about potential identity fraud. He cited a report on Indigenous identity fraud, warning that the issue was becoming increasingly prevalent across the country.
While Legault identified as Métis based on family lore and a phone call to a genealogy center, the judge emphasized the need for concrete evidence to support such claims. The judge highlighted that Legault’s actions were not reflective of the experiences of Métis or Indigenous people in Canada.
Despite Legault’s attempts to invoke Indigenous considerations in his sentencing, the judge ultimately chose to focus on the impact of his crimes on the victims. One of the young girls he victimized expressed profound emotional and psychological trauma in an impact statement submitted to the court.
In conclusion, the case of Nathan Allen Joseph Legault serves as a cautionary tale about the complexities of Indigenous identity and the need for courts to be vigilant against potential fraud. The judge’s decision underscores the importance of evidence-based claims and the prioritization of justice for victims of exploitation and abuse..