B.C. Mountie accused of sex offences involving minors pleads not guilty

Andrew James Seangio of the Richmond RCMP detachment is seen in an undated image.

The trial is underway for an RCMP officer who allegedly exposed himself to girls as young as 15 as they walked home from school on Vancouver’s west side.

Andrew James Seangio, 37, pleaded not guilty to 10 counts relating to indecent exposure and public masturbation for incidents alleged to have taken place between August 2018 and March 2019.

More than two years after his arrest, Seangio's trial began Monday at B.C. Supreme Court in downtown Vancouver.

Seangio sat quietly in the courtroom as Crown prosecutors explained the accusations to the jury. He’s accused of driving up to schoolgirls as they walked home from York House School and Little Flower Academy – two private schools in Vancouver’s Shaughnessy neighbourhood – then exposing his genitals and touching himself before driving away.

The first witness on the stand was Det. Blake Chersinoff, one of the lead investigators on the case.

Following initial reports of a man exposing himself to children in the area, Chersinoff said the Vancouver Police Department held safety presentations at both schools and established a tip line. Shortly after, several victims came forward, and while none of them could provide a strong suspect description, Chersinoff said one of the girls took note of the vehicle make and model, along with the licence plate number.

Investigators confirmed the vehicle belonged to Andrew Seangio, a constable with the Richmond RCMP.

Seangio is also accused of exposing himself to a pair of undercover police officers who were walking through the Shaughnessy area dressed in girls’ school uniforms as part of the investigation.

Seangio joined the Richmond RCMP in 2016, and is currently suspended with pay. A spokesperson for the B.C. RCMP said his duty status is “subject to continuous review and assessment.”

He also faces 37 charges in Ottawa relating to sexual assault and voyeurism prior to the alleged offences in Vancouver.

None of the allegations against Seangio have been proven in court.