A 20-year-old Calgary man is off to prison for manipulating two young girls in the United States over the Internet to touch themselves sexually and supply him with pornographic pictures.

Provincial court Judge Allan Fradsham said Friday in sentencing Evan Shepherdson to 5 1/2 years that even though he was not sophisticated and lacked many life experiences for his age, his offences were deliberate and planned.

“He achieved some success as he skilfully manipulated the young girls to comply with his requests as he committed these grave offences,” said the judge.

“I have to conclude that, regardless of his own psychological difficulties, the accused’s degree of responsibility in the commission of these offences was high.”

Shepherdson had pleaded guilty last September to two counts of Internet luring and invitation to sexual touching, between June and September 2010, and one count each of counselling to make child pornography, possession of child pornography and possession of child pornography for the purpose of publishing.

Crown prosecutor Nadine Nesbitt had argued for a six-year sentence.

Defence lawyer George Sirois sought a two-year term. Fradsham said the extreme youth of the victims -- 12 and 13 -- and the length of time over which the offences took place -- three months -- was aggravating.

He also said the man exploited the girls by grooming them for further sexual purposes, using their immature emotions by suggesting there was a romantic bond between him and them.

As well, the judge cited the graphic nature of the requests made of the victims by the accused, and the extreme content of the child pornography found on his computer.

According to an agreed statement of facts presented by Nesbitt, Shepherdson began chatting independently with the girls in June 2010 via instant messaging.

“The communications started out flirtatious but quickly became sexual in nature,” said the admitted facts.

“Shepherdson repeatedly asked H.B. for pictures of her naked and sexually touching herself. Shepherdson directed H.B. in very graphic language how to touch herself sexually. He also told her very graphically about the sexual activities he wanted her to engage in and sent pictures of his (genitals).”

In later conversation, he told the 13-year-old girl to “find some random guy” and go to the washroom to have sex with him.”

The accused also enticed the 12-year-old girl, R.N., to send naked pictures of herself, as well as pictures in which she committed sexual acts on herself, to him. He also sent naked pictures of himself to her.

Shepherdson discussed travelling to the United States to visit her, rent a hotel room for two weeks and have sex.

American law enforcement officers, who monitored chat sites, contacted the southern Alberta Integrated Child Exploitation Unit on July 7, 2010.

Police then searched Shepherdson’s Calgary home, seized his computer and found several pictures of the two girls as well as other child pornography that had been downloaded, viewed and later deleted.

The judge also ordered the offender to supply a DNA sample, be registered as a sex offender for life and not attend any parks, playgrounds, daycare centre or other places where children under 16 might be present for 10 years.