A 33-year-old man who flew from Utah to B.C. to sexually abuse a pre-teen girl has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison.
Kevin Douglas Knowlton was sentenced Tuesday in Surrey provincial court, where he pleaded guilty to charges of child luring, sexual interference of a child under 16 years old, and making child pornography earlier this year.
He was also given six months’ credit for time served. After his sentence, he’ll be deported back to the U.S.
The judge who oversaw his case said Knowlton lacks insight into his crimes, which have had catastrophic consequences for his 12-year-old victim. The court heard she used to be a straight-A student, and now cuts herself with shards of glass.
The Salt Lake City resident met the young girl while playing an online computer game in June 2013. The court heard he made five trips to Surrey and stayed in a hotel, where the girl would meet him.
He filmed and photographed their sexual encounters.
Knowlton, a Mormon, is said to be addicted to pornography, and underwent voluntary castration in the U.S. before meeting his Canadian victim.
The girl’s parents found out about the abuse and reported it to police, who arrested Knowlton at a Surrey hotel in February.
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Michele Brunoro
