Ex-Kelowna RCMP officer who sexted assault victim gets conditional discharge, no criminal record

A former Kelowna, B.C., RCMP officer, Sean Eckland, has been granted a conditional discharge and placed on probation for 12 months after admitting to sending sexually explicit messages to a victim of domestic assault. Eckland, who served with the national police force from 2006 to 2024, pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to obstruct justice, as the messages were used by the victim’s assailant to benefit his case.

According to an agreed statement of facts included in his sentencing decision, Eckland, 50, was the lead investigator on a domestic assault case in 2018 when he began exchanging sexually explicit messages with the victim over several months. He even sent her a photo of his penis. Eckland later asked the victim to delete their text messages and failed to disclose their communication to his superiors or the lawyers prosecuting the victim’s case.

Kelowna provincial court Judge Clarke Burnett described Eckland’s actions as a serious lapse in judgment that broke the trust the community had placed in him as a police officer. Despite resigning from the RCMP last year, the conditional discharge means he will not have a criminal record.

While acknowledging the seriousness of Eckland’s actions, Burnett noted that they did not reach the level of other officers who committed similar offences. Several mitigating factors, including Eckland’s diagnosis of PTSD in 2016 and ongoing treatment, led to the lesser sentence.

The impact of Eckland’s inappropriate relationship with the victim was significant. The victim’s boyfriend, facing charges of aggravated assault, sexual assault, uttering threats, and forcible confinement, used the sexting information to apply to withdraw his guilty pleas. The court granted his application, allowing him to change his initial pleas and have some charges stayed.

During the trial, the Crown requested a jail sentence of three to six months to be served in the community. However, Burnett considered Eckland’s PTSD as a crucial factor in his decision-making at the time of the offence, reducing his moral blameworthiness.

The sentencing decision has sparked controversy, with some questioning whether the punishment fits the crime. CBC News reached out to the RCMP for comment on the case, but there has been no response as of yet. Despite the outcome, the case serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding the integrity and trust that the community places in law enforcement officers.