A 32-year-old from northwestern Alberta is facing multiple charges, including sex assault and forcible confinement, in alleged offences involving victims as young as 12 years old.
Mounties have charged Grande Prairie resident Joseph Kidd in connection with a series of incidents, with many of them alleged to have happened while he was released from police custody following previous alleged offences.
Supt. Mark MacDougald, the officer in charge of the Grande Prairie RCMP, says the decision to repeatedly release the accused was not one made by the police service.
“Release decision are made independently of the police, are made through a judicial process and subject to the legal framework that applies to all accused people in Canada,” MacDougald told a press conference. “Police present the information and evidence during the investigation, but ultimately decisions about release, detention and conditions are made through the court process.”
The first set of charges were laid after a 14-year-old girl from B.C. told Grande Prairie RCMP on April 17 that she spent about a week at the accused’s home. She says it happened after they met on social media, and he drove to pick her up from B.C. Police say she was “able to leave when Kidd left to go to work.”
Kidd was charged with sexual assault, sexual interference, forcible confinement, assault while choking, and unsafe storage of a firearm. He was released from police custody on April 30 with conditions.
Ten days later, Mounties say they were called from Kidd’s home after an 18-year-old was allegedly picked up from Lloydminster, driven to Grande Prairie and assaulted “when she refused to have sexual relations with him.”
He was arrested and charged with assault, assault while choking, sexual assault and failing to comply with a release order. He was released on June 1 on bail and with conditions.
On June 18, four days before a scheduled court appearance, police were told Kidd allegedly followed a 15-year-old girl around, offering her alcohol if she got into his vehicle.
“On one occasion, she got into his vehicle, and he drove them to his residence, where she was sexually assaulted before leaving,” RCMP said in a news release.
Police say there were several incidents between June 4 and 18.
Kidd was charged with criminal harassment, sexual interference, sexual assault and failing to comply with release conditions.
That same day, on June 18, Mounties received a call from the mother of a 12-year-old girl about a man driving a yellow convertible Chevrolet Camaro who allegedly tried to lure the girl.
He was charged with abducting a person under 14 years old and failing to comply with release conditions. He was remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear in court July 2, at which point he could be released again.
The allegations against him have not been tested in court.
Police believe there could be more victims. Anyone with information is asked to call 780-830-5700.
“Parents and guardians, please show the picture to your children and talk to them about safe use of social media,” MacDougald said.
“Because of the specific circumstances in this, it is alarming to the public, and that is why we’re bringing the information to your attention today to share publicly.”