Seyed Kourosh Miralinaghi moments after pleading guilty to advertising sexual services based in Nanaimo. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

lesser charge

Guilty plea avoids trial for man facing Nanaimo prostitution charge

Feb 19, 2021 | 5:33 AM

NANAIMO — A scheduled preliminary inquiry shifted to a sudden guilty plea by a man admitting to a charge of advertising sexual services.

Seyed Kourosh Miralinaghi, 20, will be sentenced at a later date for the Feb. 24, 2019 incident in Nanaimo as opposed to potentially standing trial in BC Supreme Court.

Miralinaghi made headlines over a year ago near Swift Current, Saskatchewan in late January, 2020 when he and four others were arrested and charged with human trafficking offences involving two young women.

The charges against Miralinaghi were stayed, but he was sentenced to six months in jail for obstruction of justice.

On Thursday, Feb. 18, Crown prosecutor Leanne Mascolo revealed their intention to drop two other charges linked to the Nanaimo case against Miralinaghi of procuring and benefiting of sexual services involving a person under 18.

holiday check stops

Nanaimo motorists shine during province-wide crackdown

1h ago

targeted job action

Striking Nanaimo postal workers disrupt Purolator operations

4h ago

final flight

Massive Philippine Mars waterbomber preparing for final Island departure

9h ago

The BC Prosecution Service declined to rationalize the intention to abandon two of the three charges against Miralinaghi, stating it will not comment prior to the conclusion of the case.

Court was told a joint sentence submission is expected to be presented for a judge’s consideration.

Judge Ronald Webb ordered a pre-sentence report to contextualize Miralinaghi’s more recent behaviour to help guide the sentencing process.

Mascolo said Miralinaghi has an extensive history as a youth offender.

Miralinaghi is slated to return to court on April 6 to establish a date for a sentencing hearing.

He’s not in custody and had no comment following his guilty plea.

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @NanaimoNewsNOW