Fort St. John man jailed for inviting sexual touching from minors

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Tyler Joshua Drapeau was recently sentenced to jail after soliciting sexual touching from children at a park last year.

In June 2021, Drapeau tried to solicit sexual touching from two children in exchange for a video game card. The Fort St. John RCMP said the incident took place at a park in the 11000-block of 96 Street. Police located Drapeau in a nearby vehicle, and he was arrested without incident.

Drapeau entered a guilty plea for the invitation of sexual touching charge and was convicted earlier this year.

In a court appearance on Friday, the 34-year-old was sentenced to 317 days in jail after time served was credited, probation for 18 months, a 10-year firearms prohibition and a 5-year sexual offence prohibition.

A sexual offence prohibition restricts Drapeau from being present in areas where a person under 16 is present, according to the Criminal Code of Canada Section 161.

The Crown dropped an additional charge of communicating with a person under 18 for the purpose of obtaining sexual services.

Drapeau was suspended by the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia in 2017 for dispensing medications to himself and others without a valid prescription.