A High River woman facing charges connected with sex trafficking of teens had her bail lowered during court proceedings today.
Student-at-law Germaine Fields asked the court to have the bail for Samantha Lynn Pedersen, 23, of High River lowered to $1,000 from $3,000 today at Okotoks provincial court.
The request was granted by Judge Eugene Creighton.
The investigation prior to charges being laid indicated the victims – five teenage girls, from the Okotoks area – were between 13 and 16 years of age. The victims have received assistance from Child and Family Services and Foothills Victim Services.
Pedersen is facing five counts of trafficking persons under the age of 18; five counts of procuring a person under the age of 18; four counts of sexual exploitation of a young person and one count of assault.
Pedersen is in custody but was in Okotoks court in person. Her next appearance is Nov. 18 and she is expected to appear by CCTV.
Fields was acting as agent for Pedersen’s lawyer Stephen Bitzer.
