A national cadet leader for the Royal Canadian Air Cadets was charged with sex assault and sexual interference in connection with an alleged incident that happened in late January.
The young man, who has not been named, was the International Cadet Bureau representative in Canada in those 10 different countries including the United States, according to Canadastores. The group operates from offices in the U.S. and Canada.
The organization’s CEO Deborah LeCroix in a letter sent to all participating cadets and members that it is their responsibility to report any “any matters or complaints, regardless of the actual nature or nature of their implications,” as they have been charged.
LeCroix also addressed the Canadian cadets in an email saying: “Whenever any member of our cadet family is put in an inappropriate position to which they are not fit, we have a duty and responsibility to protect them, and to ensure that they receive guidance, or mentorship, to enable them to grow and flourish.”
The charge brought in Canada does not involve any cadets in the United States.
The Calgary Herald reported that the cadet leader is accused of allegedly assaulting a girl in his group before her 14th birthday.
LeCroix said the cadet leader was informed of the charges in early June but did not involve authorities in the matter until after a report of a “suspicion of sexual touching” was received on June 28.
LeCroix added that the cadet leader “is cooperating fully with the investigation and these charges are not related to our cadet program.”
According to LeCroix, local police confirmed no other cadets were involved or were “known to have any involvement” with the cadet leader.
The cadet leader is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 18.
Cadets are required to have current criminal records checks. A criminal record check will be issued, according to LeCroix.
One attorney is urging police and the cadet organization to “move quickly to substantiate any unsubstantiated allegations” reported by a cadet at the beginning of July.
“Perhaps it is naïve to think that members, including cadets, would honestly and knowingly report allegations against an individual to a cadet group who will, as a matter of practice, share all such allegations without any process of inquiry,” Brian Scholtz said in a letter.
“I don’t recall seeing where a crime was committed against any non-cadet, and that alone highlights the underlying assumption behind the use of a cadet group to report any unsubstantiated allegations of crime,” he added.
Doug Kinney contributed to this report.
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