Details from a child luring and prostitution case that shocked the Foothills will be heard Aug. 17.
Samantha Pedersen of High River is charged with three counts of trafficking persons under 18, two counts of living on the avails of prostitution, five counts of procuring persons under 18 and four counts of sexual exploitation of a young person.
On Friday, Pedersen’s lawyer, Stephen Bitzer, set a date for plea and sentencing. It is still unknown for which of the charges Pedersen will plead guilty.
Pedersen was arrested in October. A school resource teacher contacted police after she heard about teens possibly being recruited into prostitution over social media. The victims are aged 13 to 16 and their identities are protected by a publication ban.
Very little information about the case has been disclosed to date due to the sensitive nature of the charges and because the victims are minors.
Following an arrest police officers on the case called it a “horrific possibility” that these teens were been lured into the sex trade.
The victims are receiving assistance from Child and Family Services.
Pedersen is out on bail and living in High River. She is under house arrest.
An hour-and-a-half is set to deal with the case in August. Pedersen could be sentenced that day, or the judge could decide to make a decision at a later date.
