A previously convicted sex offender pleaded guilty to two child sexual offence charges in Castlegar Court on June 10.
Danny Edward Depew, 57, entered the plea for internet luring of a person under 16 and making sexually explicit material available to a person under 16 connected to an Aug. 3, 2024 incident in Castlegar, according to the BC Prosecution Service (BCPS).
Depew was also charged with two other charges 鈥� arrange/agree on a sexual offence against a child and breach of probation. BCPS says it is anticipated that the Crown will direct a stay of proceedings on those remaining charges at the conclusion of Depew's sentencing hearing.
The court ordered a pre-sentence report with a psychological component. Depew's next court appearance is on Aug. 27 to confirm the reports have been prepared and to schedule a date for a sentencing hearing.
Depew has a long history of sexual offences and most recently spent time in prison after pleading guilty in 2020 to telecommunicating to lure a child under 16 and failing to comply with a prohibition order. He was sentenced to 2.5 years in jail plus three years probation for those crimes, which took place in Abbotsford, B.C.
In 2019, Depew was one of eight men caught in an Ontario police child exploitation probe and was charged with three counts of luring a person under 16 and breach of his probation order.
Depew was also the subject of previous public warnings in Calgary.
The Calgary Police Service first warned the public in December 2010 that Depew was being released from prison after serving a 5.5 year sentence for two counts of sexual assault and three counts of sexual exploitation.
Depew was charged in connection with having sex with three teenage girls in 2003, after luring them to his home.
Calgary police again notified the public in May 2013 that Depew was being released into the community, this time after serving an 18-month sentence for breaching a peace bond.
They said his criminal history included convictions in Alberta for sexual assault, sexual exploitation of a person with a disability, assault, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, break-and-enter, and causing a disturbance.
Court records in 2012, after Depew pleaded guilty to four counts of breaching his court-ordered conditions in Calgary, indicated he had been diagnosed with pedophilia and 鈥渉as fantasies that include sexual sadism.鈥�
鈥淭hroughout his past periods of incarceration, he has refused to participate in many sexual offender programs and/or lacked motivation to complete same,鈥� the judge wrote at the time.
- With files from Vikki Hopes.
