Acquittal entered for Frenchvale man on prostitution charge

SYDNEY, N.S. — A Frenchvale man has been acquitted on a charge of communicating for the purpose of obtaining sexual services.
Arthur Gordon Pentecost, 60, was among 18 men charged with such an offence after a second undercover operation by Cape Breton Regional Police targeting street level prostitution in downtown Sydney. A similar investigation in 2015 resulted in the arrests of 27 men.
The majority of accused in both investigations pleaded guilty to the charge and were issued fines.
Four of the 27 accused on 2015 were acquitted on the charge while Pentecost is the first of the 18 to be acquitted.
In issuing the acquittal, provincial court Judge Brian Williston said he did not find that Pentecost had the required intent to commit the offence.
He said while the accused and an undercover female police officer did discuss $30 for oral sex, he was left with reasonable doubt as to Pentecost’s intent.
“I pulled over to talk to her, you know what I mean. I wasn’t interested in sex or nothing like that anyway,” Pentecost told police in a statement shortly after his arrest in July 2018.
When arrested, Pentecost was carrying $10 cash at the time.
“I had no money. I wasn’t paying,” he told police.