Calgarian who ran Thai child brothel gets 25 years
Last Updated: Monday, January 31, 2011 | 10:24 AM MT
The Associated Press
John Wrenshall, seen in an undated photo, was sentenced to 25 years in prison Monday for running a brothel for pedophiles in Thailand, and producing and distributing pornography involving children as young as four. A former Calgary scout leader who admitted to running a brothel for pedophiles in Thailand has been sentenced in New Jersey to 25 years in prison.
The federal judge on Monday said it was unlikely that John Wrenshall — who had also been convicted of sexual assault involving members of a Calgary boys' choir in the 1990s — would overcome his desire to molest children.
Wrenshall told the judge he was ashamed and sorry. The 64-year-old said he didn't want to die in prison.
Wrenshall pleaded guilty to conspiring to engage in sex tourism, and producing and distributing child pornography involving children as young as four.
He was arrested at London's Heathrow Airport in December 2008 and pleaded guilty last May.
Wrenshall lived and worked in Calgary 14 years ago. He was convicted in 1997 of sexual assault involving members of a Calgary boys' choir.
According to Calgary Herald articles from that time, Wrenshall lured boys over three decades, telling them he was working on a study on pre-teen boys' sexuality. He was sentenced to a year in jail and two years probation.
The former Calgary scout leader was convicted of a similar offence in 1970 and given a suspended sentence with two years' probation, according to the Herald.
Authorities discovered Wrenshall after confiscating computers from New Jersey resident Wayne Corliss, one of Wrenshall's clients.
Corliss is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
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