Rimouski resident sentenced to 18 Months of House Arrest after being found guilty for possession of child pornography

By Alexandre D’Astous, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Le Soir Newspaper

One day after hearing arguments from both sides, Quebec Court Judge Jérôme Simard sentenced Rimouski resident Sébastien Hallé to 18 months of house arrest for possession of child pornography.

The Crown had sought a prison sentence of 15 to 18 months, while the defense argued for 12 months of house arrest, along with 150 hours of community service.

Judge Simard noted that possession of child pornography generally requires a prison sentence, but case law demonstrates that house arrest is also possible.

“The court must consider the aggravating and mitigating factors. The accused pleaded guilty before his trial.” He has no prior criminal record and has made progress since his arrest. He complied with his conditions, and despite a moderate risk of reoffending, the court believes that a suspended sentence (in the community) is sufficient and does not endanger society. However, the court will follow the prosecution’s recommendation and impose a term of 18 months,” he explained.

24 Hours a Day
The sentence stipulates that Sébastien Hallé must be at home 24 hours a day for the first nine months, except for legitimate work authorized by his probation officer, for grocery shopping on Fridays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and for one hour of exercise per day from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. within a 50-meter radius of his residence. The curfew will be from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. for the final nine months.

The period of detention will be followed by two years of probation. The sentence includes 150 hours of community service during the suspended sentence and 80 hours of probation. during probation.

Sébastien Hallé’s contact with minors and access to computers will be monitored for the next six years.

He will not be allowed to use the internet for recreational purposes or be in the presence of minors, except with a responsible adult.

The sentence also includes registration on the sex offender registry for 20 years, which was contested by defense attorney Hugo Caissy, as well as a DNA sample for genetic analysis.

Unknowingly
Sébastien Hallé admitted to unknowingly obtaining child pornography files by downloading pornography in bulk, but he claimed he should have suspected it, since he had previously encountered child pornography. He said he deleted the child pornography files when he came across them.

The 47-year-old testified during the sentencing hearing. He mentioned having undergone sex therapy and being ready to resume a normal life. Follow-up.

Hallé stated that he had two jobs and was able to perform community service. He indicated that he understood the impact child pornography has on children and told the court he was ashamed of his actions.

Police discovered 74 files of child pornography on his computer’s hard drive.

Since January 2025, there is no longer a minimum sentence for possession of child pornography, which opens the door to a community sentence.

Sébastien Hallé was released immediately after his first court appearance on April 5, 2023. The Sûreté du Québec (Quebec Provincial Police) arrested him the same day. Computer equipment was seized for analysis.