Details of northern Sask. torture case emerge

Disturbing details have emerged about a kidnapping and torture case on the Pelican Lake First Nation in northern Saskatchewan.

Francis Hernandez, 47, the manager of a strip mall on the First Nation, is alleged to have taken the law into his own hands after his home was broken into.

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

He believed these men had broken into his home.

In the one case, with help from accomplices, he allegedly overpowered and tied down two young men on a dolly in the car wash.

He pulled down their pants, soaked them with water and then attached battery booster cables to their genitals, the Crown alleges.

It's also alleged the accused took photos and said the victims would get the pictures back when the stolen goods were returned.

The RCMP are still investigating and at least one other man has been charged. Hernandez is scheduled to be back in court later this month for a bail hearing.



The charges include forcible confinement, assault, sexual assault, possessing an obscene image with intent to make public, uttering threats and overcoming resistance to the commission of an indictable offence.


* In no way do I condone vigilantism, BUT if you know how the law "works" on First Nation Reserves, with R.C.M.P. arriving (on a good day) half an hour to an hour after calls are made, you might feel the frustration of the good citizens there who have absolutely had enough of the gangs of young punks roaming around victimizing them again and again. I'm not taking anything away from the police - they are simply spread too thin in these communities and the fact is they have to come in from another town miles away. That being said, there is a fine line in Canadian law between protecting your home and property and vigilantism.

Mr. Hernandez is up for a bail hearing today...personally, I hope things go well for him. I wish our laws on protesting ourselves and our homes here in Canada were more like the laws in the U.S. Too many criminals are being portrayed as victims these days and it makes me sick!!

Frankly, I think these hoodlums deserve a LOT worse than what they got.

reply to post by Tasty Canadian


Hmm, begs the question though: Were the young men the ones who actually broke in and vandalized his place?

You cannot be serious that you think this is something to condone. Really? Seriously?

reply to post by aboutface


It's actually a very small community. I think the whole place knew who did it.

reply to post by sepermeru


As I stated in the OP, I do not condone vigilantism. Do I understand the sense of helplessness and frustration that the real victim had after he had exhausted every legal method of bringing these punks to justice? Absolutely.

reply to post by Tasty Canadian


I watched a doc about a small town (in Alta?) wherein a local gang was out of control, indiscriminately terrorizing the neighborhood until a little child was shot right through the wall of her house. I can understand the frustration of people and the utter helpnessness and sadness they feel, for sure. At such times, I really wonder just what it is that makes people remain there.

But there were cries from the people for the comminity leaders to do something, anything, as the police had no evidence or leads, other than rival gangs slugging it out for territorial control.

In the old days before the west was settled they used a posse. Which by today’s standards was vigilantism. But that doesn’t mean it was always wrong. If several reputable people saw a recognized bad guy kill some one in cold blood, then a trial is superfluous. You chase them down and hang them.

If the police continually fail to remove a known criminal from society you have to expect the criminal to eventually cross the wrong guy. This accused person didn’t hide behind a gun, he took the bull by the balls (metaphorically). This criminal has had a life changing moment. He now knows that there are sheep out there with teeth sharper than his. He also knows there are things worst than a black eye or a night in the jail.

I don’t know how the trial system works up there buy if the vigilante is entitles to s jury of his own peers there could be a second twist to the story. If I were on the grand jury, you would not get an indictment to go to trial from me. If I were on the trial jury I would not convict. It may be wrong but in some cases two wrongs do make a right.

To those who think this person is so wrong for taking the law into his own hands, become a victim repeatedly and see if you still feel the same way.