Chilliwack man arrested on 11 sexual assault charges from B.C. Interior
Police in Chilliwack have arrested a man who was wanted on multiple sexual assault charges in B.C.'s Interior.
Joel Eric Carlson, 28, is charged with 11 counts of sexual assault and one count of assault, all of them stemming from an investigation that began last fall, according to a news release from Kamloops RCMP.
The former Kamloops resident was first arrested in September 2020 by Vernon RCMP for "offences related to sexual assault and forcible confinement," police said.
The Vernon detachment issued an appeal for other victims to come forward, and several contacted Kamloops RCMP.
The charges against Carlson were approved on Thursday and a warrant for his arrest was issued. He was arrested in Chilliwack on Friday and appeared in provincial court on the charges the same day, according to police.
In the news release, Sgt. Nestor Baird of Kamloops RCMP's Serious Crime Unit highlighted the detachment's work on sex crime investigations, including the recent hiring of a dedicated sex crimes investigator.
"This investigation and the number of victims who came forward following the public safety advisory reminds us of how many sexual assaults occur that are never reported to police for numerous reasons," said Baird in the release. "We are again asking anyone who may have information about this individual to please contact your local police."
Const. Rachel Buliziuk, the Kamloops detachment's sex crimes investigator, encouraged survivors of sexual assault to come forward, promising to provide them help and support.
"The success of any investigation ultimately starts with the survivors," Buliziuk said in the release.
"We know it’s not easy to come forward about these types of offences, but we want you to know that we are here for you. Whether you are an alleged victim of this accused person, or of an instance completely unrelated to this, we want to help you through the investigative process and start your path to healing."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
It could take years to catch up on child vaccinations in Ontario post-pandemic
Ontario is still playing catch up on routine vaccinations that many children missed during the pandemic and public health officials are warning that it could take years to solve the problem.