A 58-year-old cab driver from Elliot Lake has been charged with multiple sex offences following an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) investigation.
Officers arrested the man on Monday morning, at approximately 5:00 a.m. in connection to an ongoing sexual assault investigation.
The charges stem from incidents alleged to have occurred between November 2024 and Feb. 9, 2025.
The investigation began last Friday, after a family member reported a 14-year-old girl had not returned home from school.
Police later learned she had been picked up by a man driving a grey pickup truck.
“She later returned home and was spoken to by police,” OPP said in a news release Monday.
“The girl knew the man as he worked for a local cab company and used to drive her to a Blind River school in the past.”
Further investigation revealed that multiple sex offences had allegedly occurred over several months.
As a resulted, the accused as been charged with sexual assault on a person under 16 years of age, invitation to sexual touching under 16 years of age and sexual interference.
The accused was released from custody following a bail hearing on Feb. 10 and he is scheduled to return to court on March 13.
Police are urging anyone with additional information or who believes they may have been a victim of similar circumstances to come forward and contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers.
Help is available
Provincial police said victims of sexual assault are not alone, in their news release.
“If you need support or know someone that does, there are local resources here to help,” OPP said.
“You can visit the Victim Services of Algoma website for assistance. A toll-free call can also be placed to 1-888-822-7792 where your information will remain anonymous and confidential.”
Police also remind individuals if they are in immediate crisis to call 911.
