By Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles on Twitter

Blood Tribe man sentenced on extortion, child porn charges

Jun 26, 2018 | 3:35 PM

LETHBRIDGE – A 21-year-old Blood Tribe man who was caught with child pornography and attempting to extort multiple girls on two occasions – the second time while he was out on bail for the first set of offences – has been handed a prison sentence of just under five years.

Skylar Dakota Pantherbone received a sentence of four years and nine months in a federal penitentiary Tuesday, June 26. He was also given a credit of 1.5 for each of the 311 days spent in pre-trial custody, taking 467 days off the sentence.

Following his release from custody, Pantherbone will be bound by numerous conditions for eight years. During that time, he will be prohibited from the following:

Attending any schools, parks, playgrounds or other public places where children under the age of 16 are likely to be present, unless supervised by a responsible adult;
Volunteering or working in a position of trust for children under 16;
Communicating with anyone under 16, unless supervised by an adult;
Using the internet, unless for school or work, or while supervised by an adult

Last November, Pantherbone pleaded guilty to extortion, child luring, threats to cause death or bodily harm, possessing and distributing child pornography, and drug trafficking.

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

The court was told that Pantherbone hacked the social media accounts of several teenage girls in Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, gaining access to private images that he said he would share unless they provided him with nude photos. He then threatened to beat and rape them when they refused.

It was noted that none of the girls provided him with any photos.

Police were contacted and traced the activity back to Pantherbone, at which time they also discovered 4,000 images and 300 videos of child pornography on his computer.

Then, just a few months after his release on bail, he began the same activity. Police learned that he contacted a girl online and told her he would share nude photos of her and her boyfriend unless she sent did as he said, and in this case the photos were released on social media.

Again, police tracked the account back to Pantherbone, this time finding 1,000 images and 13 videos of child porn. They also discovered that he had been selling Xanax pills.

During a sentencing hearing, it was revealed that Pantherbone suffered from the effects of racism and substance abuse while growing up, and that his grandmother was a residential school survivor who died from a drug overdose.

The prosecution had asked for a sentence of five to seven years, while the defence had countered with a suggestion of three years in prison.

by Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles on Twitter

Blood Tribe man sentenced on extortion, child porn charges

What's Happening