Lethbridge Police have charged a 43-year-old man with sexual assault and exploitation in relation to an incident involving a 15-year-old-girl. Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) said the investigation is ongoing and there may be additional victims.
James Robert Martinac, 43, of Lethbridge, faces charges of sexual assault, sexual exploitation, assault, uttering threats, possession of child pornography and causing a child to be drug endangered. He is currently in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on May 31 for a bail hearing.
LPS said on April 28, a 16-year-old girl reported she had been sexually assaulted by an adult man who was known to her. She was 15 at the time of the assault and police said an investigation by members of the Criminal Investigation Section determined she was staying with the man at his home, where she was provided with drugs and sexually assaulted on multiple occasions over the course of several months in 2021.
“Further investigation resulted in the seizure of electronic devices that contained images of child pornography,” reads a news release from LPS.
Officers believe the man was in contact with other young girls at the time and ask anyone who was victimized to call Sgt. Saska Vanhala at 403-330-5049 or Cst. Dave Warner 403-330-5183.
LPS said no further information on the case will be released.