A former teen church leader, now an adult, faces charges related to sexual assaults that allegedly occurred nearly a decade ago. The accused, whose identity is protected by the Youth Criminal Justice Act due to being a minor at the time of the offences, is said to have worked alone with children at the El Renacer church, the Calgary Police Service said in a Wednesday press release.The revelation came to light in August 2023 when a now-adult victim approached the police to report multiple instances of sexual assault that transpired between 2011 and 2013. The victim, who was around seven years old during the alleged incidents, disclosed the assaults took place both at the El Renacer church, where they were a member and at a residence in the northwest community of Panorama Hills.Authorities believe the accused compelled the victim into unwanted sexual acts during each of these occurrences. The charges brought against the former youth leader include one count of sexual assault and one count of invitation to sexual touching involving a child under 16 years old."It takes immense courage for victims of sexual assault to come forward to police, especially under these circumstances. I want to thank the victim for speaking out," said Det. Tim Fitzgibbon.Importantly, Canada imposes no time limit on reporting a sexual assault. Authorities encourage anyone who believes they are a victim to report it, irrespective of how many years have passed since the incident occurred.Individuals with information about this case or similar incidents are urged to contact the police at 403-266-1234. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers through various channels, including a toll-free hotline at 1-800-222-8477, the website www.calgarycrimestoppers.org, or the P3 Tips app.
A former teen church leader, now an adult, faces charges related to sexual assaults that allegedly occurred nearly a decade ago. The accused, whose identity is protected by the Youth Criminal Justice Act due to being a minor at the time of the offences, is said to have worked alone with children at the El Renacer church, the Calgary Police Service said in a Wednesday press release.The revelation came to light in August 2023 when a now-adult victim approached the police to report multiple instances of sexual assault that transpired between 2011 and 2013. The victim, who was around seven years old during the alleged incidents, disclosed the assaults took place both at the El Renacer church, where they were a member and at a residence in the northwest community of Panorama Hills.Authorities believe the accused compelled the victim into unwanted sexual acts during each of these occurrences. The charges brought against the former youth leader include one count of sexual assault and one count of invitation to sexual touching involving a child under 16 years old."It takes immense courage for victims of sexual assault to come forward to police, especially under these circumstances. I want to thank the victim for speaking out," said Det. Tim Fitzgibbon.Importantly, Canada imposes no time limit on reporting a sexual assault. Authorities encourage anyone who believes they are a victim to report it, irrespective of how many years have passed since the incident occurred.Individuals with information about this case or similar incidents are urged to contact the police at 403-266-1234. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers through various channels, including a toll-free hotline at 1-800-222-8477, the website www.calgarycrimestoppers.org, or the P3 Tips app.
