B.C. Mountie who exposed himself to high school students given 18-month sentence

A B.C. RCMP officer who was found guilty of sexual offences involving minors earlier this year has been sentenced to 18 months behind bars.

Andrew James Seangio, who repeatedly exposed himself to high school students, learned his fate Friday in B.C. Supreme Court in downtown Vancouver.

The constable from the Richmond RCMP detachment will also be on probation for two years after his release.

Prosecutors had recommended a jail term of 18 to 24 months plus probation for the disgraced officer, while the defence suggested a conditional sentence to be served in the community.

Seangio was charged with 10 counts related to public masturbation and indecent exposure for incidents that took place between August 2018 and March 2019, and was convicted on all counts back in July.

The court heard that Seangio drove up to students from York House School and Little Flower Academy –two private schools in Vancouver's Shaughnessy neighbourhood – then exposed his genitals, touched himself, and left the scene.

He later also exposed himself to undercover police officers dressed as school girls. 

While handing down her sentence, Justice Catherine Wedge noted Seangio’s lack of remorse after being found guilty. Wedge also refuted his defence's claims that Seangio being married would help stabilize him, saying he was with the same partner when he committed the offences.

The Crown had previously argued that Seangio’s position as a police officer should be considered an aggravating factor in sentencing.

Prosecutor Geoff Baragar told CTV News he hadn’t seen a case like Seangio’s during his 30 years in law.

"This is a very unusual situation,” Baragar said. “We don't find persons in this position of trust or authority acting in this manner.”

Once he's released, Seangio will be under a number of conditions, including that he not contact any of his victims or go within one kilometre of either of the private schools.

Seangio will also need to register as a sex offender for 10 years and provide a "bodily substance" for DNA testing.

He remains suspended without pay from his position with the Richmond RCMP, and an internal code of conduct process is ongoing.

Seangio also faces 37 charges related to allegations of sexual assault and voyeurism in Ottawa that predate his charges in Vancouver.