A young man who raped one woman and sexually assaulted another in Haines Junction committed violence against their integrity, a territorial court judge said in his sentencing decision.

Judge Michael Cozens sentenced 24-year-old Samuel Jarred Johnson last month to two years in federal prison followed by three years’ probation for the two assaults, which took place in the last year and a half.

In March 2013, Johnson and some friends, including one of the victims, were drinking in a house in Haines Junction.

She passed out on a couch and awoke to find Johnson behind her, holding her hands over her head and having sex with her.

She told him to stop. He ignored her.

Johnson turned her over and continued having sex with her. She kept resisting until she passed out.

The woman woke up with no pants on, unaware of how the assault had ended and if Johnson had been wearing a condom.

She had bruising on her wrists, arms and legs, and a hickey above her right breast.

A DNA test indicated a high probability that Johnson was the attacker, and he was charged with sexual assault.

Earlier this year, in April, Johnson sexually assaulted another woman.

He was again at a Haines Junction home, drinking with friends, including the victim and her boyfriend.

She went to sleep at about 7 a.m., thinking her boyfriend was sleeping beside her. Others were sleeping on the floor.

At one point, she felt a hand go down the side of her underwear, and thought it was her boyfriend. She said, “No.”

Later, when she was asleep, she was digitally penetrated. She thought it was her boyfriend, and that this was unusual behaviour.

When she got up to go to the bathroom, she noticed her boyfriend was, in fact, sleeping on the floor and Johnson was in bed beside her.

He was “quite intoxicated” at the time and apologized.

The fact another “serious” assault occurred after Johnson had already been charged for the first was an aggravating factor in sentencing, Cozens said in court last month during the sentencing hearing in Burwash Landing.

Both times, the offender was drunk.

“There is clearly some work to be done with respect to Mr. Johnson’s problems when he consumes alcohol,” the judge said.

The first victim submitted an impact statement to the court, in which she said she’s been struggling physically, psychologically and emotionally with what happened.

While the second victim didn’t file a statement, “I do not need one to understand and appreciate that the consequences on her could well be significant,” Cozens said.

Johnson’s family members filed letters of support which “portray Mr. Johnson as being an individual who is known to be a gentle, kind, reliable, trustworthy, hard-working, intelligent, productive member of the community.”

These assaults are out of character for him, they state.

A member of the Kluane First Nation, Johnson has been stressed and dealing with deaths in his family, Cozens said.

“I can appreciate that this has been an extremely difficult time for him. But the reality is, he simply needs to accept responsibility for what he has done, which he has done by his guilty plea, and then move forward and contribute back to his community.”

This plea, as well as Johnson’s lack of a criminal record, were mitigating factors.

Crown prosecutor Keith Parkkari and defence lawyer Malcolm Campbell made a joint submission on sentencing, which Cozens opted to impose.

Johnson will serve 16 months for the first assault and eight months for the second.

“Just so members of the public and community that are here know, this is not because one offence is considered to be twice as bad as the other; it is simply that this is a global sentence that is appropriate in the circumstances,” Cozens said.

The two-year sentence sends Johnson to a federal prison. He will be added to the national sex offender registry and must give a sample of his DNA.