Watch above: The man who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting women in Edmonton’s Garneau neighbourhood and exposing himself to women in Red Deer has been sentenced to two years behind bars. Eric Szeto has the details.
EDMONTON – A man sentenced to prison Wednesday for attacks on two women in Edmonton’s Garneau neighbourhood was previously jailed for making thousands of sexually harassing calls to women.
Daniel Leonard, 36, was sentenced to two years in prison, after the judge accepted a joint submission from the prosecutor and defence lawyer.
Leonard pleaded guilty to the attacks in Garneau, which happened on January 20, 2014. He also pleaded guilty to a number of other sexual offences.
“Two separate incidents here in Edmonton, as well as two further separate incidents in Red Deer, Alberta,” said prosecutor Carrie Sharpe.
The penalty takes into account that Leonard is a repeat offender, Sharpe said, adding she hopes it gives his victims a sense of security.
“These kinds of incidents are extremely disconcerting to the public. … And I certainly do feel that this sentence addresses those fears.”
In 2010, Leonard was sentenced to 41 months in prison in Tacoma, Washington, for using a voice-altering “spoofing” website to make thousands of calls to women in the United States and Canada. When victims answered, Leonard made explicit threats of sexual assault and rape.
“He put extreme fear in the victims; they were afraid to go to work,” said Det. Sgt. Michael Bruno of the Monterey Police Department in California. “Mulitple times they had to change their phone numbers.”
He was deported to Canada after serving his sentence.
Leonard’s name will be put on the national sex offender registry for life and he is prohibited from owning weapons for 10 years.
During his sentencing, he apologized to the judge and to his victims.
With files from Eric Szeto, Global Edmonton.
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