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Sarile, 29, pleaded guilty earlier this month to 17 sex-related charges relating to incidents between December 2009 and December 2017, in which he targeted young females.

The charges involved luring girls, mostly in junior high school, to perform sexual services for cash and other considerations, as well as him extorting sex from them using phoney online personas.

Niv also read a letter penned by Sarile apologizing to the victims, as well as his own family and friends.

“To all of whom I have hurt, I sincerely apologize for the pain that I have caused you,” the lawyer quoted his client.

“I am so sorry to the victims, named and unnamed, for causing you so much pain,” he wrote.

“I acknowledge that I have a problem. I am taking steps to identify and understand this problem.”

Sarile wrote that he has already looked into treatment options once he begins serving his sentence.

“I need treatment, I want treatment. I deserve to go to jail,” he said. “I understand now the magnitude and selfishness of my actions.”

O’Connor said there were several aggravating factors to justify a sentence in the 18-year range.

“Taking into consideration the number of complainants and the number of separate distinct offences and the gravity of the offences, if consecutive sentences were imposed for all of the offences before the court the overall length of the resulting period of imprisonment would result in a combined sentence that is in excess of 40 years.”

Niv was going to make a Charter submission arguing his client should get more than the maximum 1.5 days credit for each day served on remand.

But he told Justice Earl Wilson he is now abandoning that application so the case can proceed to sentencing.

Wilson will hand down his decision on May 31.

KMartin@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @KMartinCourts