A B.C. man has been sentenced to nearly two years imprisonment over child exploitation crimes that took place in Whistler and Vancouver during the pandemic.
In September 2023, Keron Mark Salang-Oy, 26, pled guilty to one count each of possessing and distributing child pornography, and two counts of telecommunicating to lure children under 18.
On Friday, Nov. 29 in North Vancouver Provincial Court, the Philippines native was sentenced to six months less a day in prison for each of the four counts, which are to be served consecutively. He will also serve three years probation, with several conditions attached, following his release.
The charges stemmed from a Sea to Sky RCMP investigation launched in 2021, when the RCMP’s BC Integrated Child Exploitation Unit shared information with Whistler Mounties about a Facebook user caught uploading and sharing exploitative images of youth. Salang-Oy reportedly shared one image and 19 videos of child exploitation material through Facebook Messenger with close to 200 recipients. Upon his arrest in April 2021, Salang-Oy’s cellphones were found to contain 14 images and 103 videos of child exploitation material.
“Mr. Salang-Oy's collection of child exploitation material was not overly large by comparison to other cases, and there was no evidence that he had organized it in any particular fashion,” said Justice Jospeh Galati during sentencing. “However, his collection did include material at the most serious end of the spectrum.”
The court on Friday heard harrowing details of the abuse depicted in the imagery, with victims ranging in age from an infant to mid-teens.
In police's subsequent investigation, Salang-Oy was also found to have contacted two young girls online and recorded a video chat with them for the purpose of trying to create child pornography. The court heard how Salang-Oy tried to persuade both girls to reveal intimate parts of their body, and in one video, he was recorded masturbating.
Salang-Oy has maintained he was not aware possessing and distributing child exploitation material was illegal. The 26-year-old was seriously injured in a 2015 motor vehicle accident in the Philippines that appears to have led to memory and other cognitive problems, although he has never been diagnosed or treated for a mental health condition. Several letters written in support of Salang-Oy attested to these cognitive issues and argued that a sentence served in prison, rather than in the community, could undo the progress he has made so far in counselling.
While these potential cognitive limitations must be taken into account in sentencing, Judge Galati said he found no reason to believe they reduced Salang-Oy’s moral culpability.
“I find that Mr. Salang-Oy knew what he was doing was morally wrong, even allowing for what I find is the remote possibility that he did not appreciate that accessing and distributing child exploitation material was illegal,” said the judge, noting how Salang-Oy initially tried to hide himself upon arrest and later indicated to investigators that he did not distribute certain photos in his possession because they were of his niece.
Salang-Oy has no prior criminal record and has been compliant with bail conditions since April 2021. Assessments found he shows no imminent indicators of risk and has responded positively to supervision and counselling, the court heard.
Along with mandatory probation, upon his release, Salang-Oy is not permitted to attend public places where people under the age of 16 can reasonably be expected; cannot have any contact or communication with any person under the age of 16; and cannot use any computer capable of accessing the internet. The exceptions to those conditions are if he is in the immediate presence of an adult aware of these orders, or has written permission from his probation officer. He also has to register his cellphone with his probation officer, and is not permitted to own any other mobile device unless he has written permission to do so. He must also undergo counselling as directed by his probation officer. Salang-Oy will be registered to the National Sex Offender Registry. He currently resides in Surrey.
