Details emerge in Pelican Lake torture case

The facts around a current case of kidnapping and torture against three youth on the Pelican Lake First Nation have shocked the community.

Francis Hernandez 47 and accomplice Larry Lee Thomas 27 are facing charges for sexual assault with a weapon, unlawful confinement and exposing obscene matter.
Other charges include: uttering threats, overcoming resistance to the commission of an indictable offence and a variety of other offences that total over 30 charges.
Another accomplice Manon Boisvert 39 is facing a charge of unlawful confinement.

Francis Hernandez, the manager of a strip mall on the First Nation, decided to take the law into his own hands after his home was broken into.

Hernandez suspected the three victims, two aged 14 and 16 from Pelican Lake and one aged 23 from Witchekan Lake First Nation, of breaking into his home.

According to a CBC report, the Crown noted two separate occasions in February and March in which Hernandez convinced several men to come to the Pelican Lake car wash that he managed.

The three youth have all filed formal complaints with police and have stated that they were lured to the car wash where they were overpowered by Hernandez and his accomplices, soaked with water; their pants pulled down and a battery booster cable attached to their genitals.

It is alleged that the accused took photos of the victims and informed them that the photos would be returned when he received his stolen property back.

The RCMP is still investigating details of the case.

Hernandez is scheduled to appear in court later this month and a publication ban has been placed after the more recent bail hearing of one of the accused, Larry Thomas.  The judge has adjourned the case and Thomas will remain in remand. He was scheduled to appear in court on April 25.

Pelican Lake First Nation is approximately 180 kilometres northwest of Prince Albert.