Edmonton man who sexually assaulted young girls sentenced to 14 years

Imesh Ratnayake, 21, in a photo provided by Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT.)

An Edmonton man was sentenced to 14 years in prison after he sexually assaulted young girls in the capital region.

Last August, Imesh Ratnayake pleaded guilty to 11 charges, including sexual interference and child luring.

Ratnayake lured girls between the ages of 11 and 13 on Snapchat. At one point, police were looking to speak with about 100 children they believed may have been lured in Edmonton and Morinville.

He was charged with 19 offences in July 2022 and another 18 offences later that year.

Ratnayake pleaded guilty to 11 of 37 charges and was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

He's already served more than 1,000 days.