An Edmonton judge is tasked with determining a sentence for a former youth worker that could range from house arrest to four years in a federal penitentiary. The case involves Abraham Woo, who pleaded guilty to child luring and possession of child pornography.
Details of the Offences and Guilty Plea
Abraham Woo appeared for sentencing in Edmonton Court of Justice on Monday, December 16, 2025. The 30-year-old admitted to charges of luring a child and possessing child sexual abuse material. Woo, who worked with youth in both Alberta and Saskatchewan, possessed a disturbing collection of more than 1,000 images and 400 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
Furthermore, Woo engaged in sexualized messaging with a 13-year-old boy he met through his work, soliciting explicit photos from the child. His arrest on February 2, 2024, followed an investigation by the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team's (ALERT) Internet Child Exploitation unit. Police revealed Woo used social media to lure a youth from a First Nation in Saskatchewan where he had worked.
Clashing Sentencing Recommendations
Crown prosecutor Aaron Pegg urged Assistant Chief Justice Joyce Lester to impose a four-year prison term. Pegg argued the court should give minimal weight to a psychological assessment suggesting Woo is a low risk to reoffend.
In stark contrast, defence lawyer Ravi Prithipaul cited a recent Supreme Court of Canada decision that eliminated mandatory minimum sentences for possessing child sex abuse material. He argued for a conditional sentence order to be served in the community, or alternatively, a one-year jail term. Prithipaul claimed his client has undergone a profound change since his arrest, actively participating in therapy and feeling deep shame for his actions.
Psychological Assessment and Background
The sentencing hearing featured testimony from psychologist and former NDP MLA Debbie Jabbour, who assessed Woo for the defence. Jabbour linked Woo's criminal behaviour to unresolved trauma from his own childhood abuse. While she assessed him as a low risk to reoffend, she acknowledged having limited experience specifically with child pornography offenders.
Under questioning from the Crown, Jabbour suggested Woo's actions might have stemmed from "curiosity" or an "expression of unresolved trauma," noting he had also been in age-appropriate relationships. Woo had held positions providing him access to children at several organizations, including Edmonton's Bent Arrow Society, a local youth group home, the Leduc Boys and Girls Club, and Pe Metawe Games.
The judge's decision will balance the severity of the crimes against arguments for rehabilitation and the Supreme Court's shifting stance on sentencing for such offences.
