A former Coquitlam church youth therapist has been sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison for multiple historical sexual assaults.
The BC Prosecution Service confirmed the sentence for Raymond Howard Gaglardi, who is now 78, was handed down Friday.
Gaglardi was initially sentenced to 12 years and 11 months, which was reduced to 78 months due to his advanced age under the “totality principle,” which requires a sentence not to be “crushing,” a spokesperson for the prosecution service said.
Gaglardi was convicted on 11 counts including sexual assault and sexual exploitation.
The charges relate to offences involving young men and teenage boys who attended several Coquitlam-area churches between 1993 and 2007.
When Coquitlam RCMP announced charges against Gaglardi in July 2020, they said he had been associated with multiple churches, including Hillside Community Church, Austin Avenue Chapel, and Evergreen Evangelical.
At the time, police said Gaglardi also went by the name Dr. Ray Gaglardi and offered therapy sessions at his home to young people whom he met primarily through their parents at church.