YORK REGIONAL POLICE
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Investigators with the York Regional Police Special Victims Unit – Crimes Against Children Section have charged a 59-year-old man in connection with sexual assaults against two children.
On Dec. 14, 2018, York Regional Police began an investigation into a historical sexual assault after a now adult victim came forward with information regarding an incident that occurred when he was a young child. Through the investigation, York Regional Police took over additional incidents that had been reported to the Niagara Regional Police Service that had occurred in the Port Colborne area in 2017.
On Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018, the suspect was arrested. He has been charged with several offences.
The accused resided in the City of Markham from 1991 to 2015 and had access to children in multiple areas of his life. He had been employed as a pastor at a church in North York and managed a Markham hockey team. There was also a home daycare operated out of his family residence in Markham. The accused also has ties to the areas of Montreal, as well as Rimbey, Alberta and Nova Scotia where he worked as a pastor. Investigators are releasing an image of the accused to ensure that there are no further victims.
Charged: Richard Rose, 59, of Port Colborne
Charges: Sexual Assault x4; Sexual Interference - Under 16 x4
The accused will be appearing before the Ontario Court of Justice in Newmarket on Jan. 18, 2019.
A sexual assault includes any non-consensual contact of a sexual nature. York Regional Police would like to encourage anyone who feels they may have been a victim of a sexual assault to come forward and report the incident to police. There is no statute of limitations for sexual offences and offenders can be prosecuted well after the date of the offence. If someone is not ready to report, however is seeking support, please contact the Women’s Support Network, the Cedar Centre or York Region Victim Services. Additional resources and information can also be found on our website.
Anyone with information is asked to call the York Regional Police Special Victims Unit – Crimes Against Children Section at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7071, or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS, or leave an anonymous tip online.
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