Niagara Regional Police have made what they say are their final arrests in a Port Colborne historic sexual assault case.
The investigation was headed by the Sexual Assault Unit, and looked into the case of historical sexual and physical abuse alleged to have occurred in Port Colborne over a period of 20 years.
On November 28th, three men were arrested and face the following charges:
- 78 year old Clem LAROCHE of Port Colborne is charged with Sexual Assault
- 56 year old Bruno MORIN of Welland is charged with Sexual Assault
- 52 year old Gerald FLEMING of Port Colborne is charged with Fail to Comply with Recognizance
So far, ten people have been charged with the combined total of 74 alleged criminal offences.
Investigators have conducted interviews with more than 80 witnesses and identified eight victims in connection with this investigation.
At this point, further arrests are not expected, but the investigation will stay open in case more victims or witnesses come forward.
Chief of Police Bryan MacCulloch made the following statement about the investigation:
"The allegations brought forward by this investigation are disturbing; they have captured the attention of the community of Port Colborne. The community response during this investigation has been tremendous. We owe a debt of gratitude to the citizens of Port Colborne for coming forward to assist our investigators. This investigation highlights the importance of partnering with our communities to address serious issues concerning the safety and well-being of our citizens. The Niagara Regional Police Service is committed to the continued engagement with all Niagara communities to ensure effective outcomes to policing issues."