Snapchat luring suspect to stand trial this fall
Firas Alobaid, 20, of Fredericton, was initially remanded on numerous sex-related and luring charges, but he was released on conditions in November
A jury will determine this fall if a Fredericton man accused of using Snapchat to lure underage girls so he could sexually assault them is guilty of those crimes and others.
Firas Alobaid, 20, of Needham Street, was arrested by the RCMP last summer on sexual assault and online luring charges related to alleged offences involving three underage teenage girls.
The identities of those young complainants are subject to a court-ordered publication ban.
He’s accused of sexual assault, sexual touching, invitation to sexual touching and online luring, all between Jan. 1 and June 12, related to Complainant No. 1.
Alobaid is also charged with sexual assault, sexual touching, invitation to sexual touching and online communication for the purpose of a child-pornography crime with regard to Complainant No. 2 between April 1 and June 12.
And with respect to Complainant No. 3, he faces charges of sexual assault, sexual touching and online luring as well between June 1-10.
Finally, Alobaid is accused of threatening to kill the first two complainants and possessing a firearm or imitation thereof June 12.
The defendant previously elected to be tried in the Court of King’s Bench by a judge and jury, and his case was before Justice Thomas Christie on Monday to confirm trial dates.
Alobaid’s seven-day trial is set to begin Oct. 19.
Fredericton lawyer George Kalinowski, acting as an agent for defence counsel Nathan Gorham, and prosecutor Rachel Anstey said trial dates were convenient for both sides.
Alobaid appeared at the Burton Courthouse in person for Monday’s brief proceeding.
App used near schools to find girls, says RCMP
The RCMP reported in a news release in June that officers launched an investigation after receiving reports about three girls in the Oromocto area being lured online and subject to sexual offences.
“We believe this man targeted teenaged girls by using the 'add friends nearby' function in Snapchat, while near schools in the Fredericton and Oromocto areas," the release said.
The investigation revealed a suspect used Snapchat usernames of "M_vixin20" and "Abo_issauk" to lure underage girls, the RCMP stated.
"Each of the girls reported being approached by an individual on the social media channel, Snapchat, between January and June of this year," the release said.
“The girls all reported meeting up with a man on various occasions between April and June, when they were sexually assaulted."
Alobaid was identified as a suspect, but it was discovered he’d left New Brunswick. He was arrested in Toronto on a Canada-wide warrant June 18, and officers transported him back to New Brunswick, where he was remanded on the charges.
However, after a detention review hearing in November, Christie ruled that Alobaid could be released from custody on strict conditions.
Furthermore, his parents deposited a $10,000 surety with the court that would be forfeited if the defendant violates his conditions.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.