A 54-year-old man was arrested in the Charlesbourg area on Thursday morning in connection with sexual crimes that he allegedly committed, according to police, against at least three women, including a minor.
Steve Pelletier faces an impressive total of 14 charges ranging from sexual assault, production of child pornography, voyeurism and solicitation of sexual services. Counts of obstructing a criminal investigation, possession of a firearm and careless storage of a weapon complete the picture.
The investigation by the Quebec City Police Service (SPVQ) began last year, when a victim filed a complaint. Since then, two other women have also reported situations concerning him to the police force.
The 54-year-old man, arrested at his home in the morning, appeared during the day at the Quebec courthouse. According to the indictment, the facts stretched over a period of around ten years in the early 2000s in the case of one of the complainants. The crimes concerning the second would also have taken place over a period of several years, between 2011 and 2021.
The criminal charges currently only target these two alleged victims.
The public prosecutor has opposed his release for the moment.
Call to the public
According to our information, Pelletier worked for several years as a correctional officer at the Quebec Detention Establishment. Several stakeholders in the justice system were in shock at his arrest Thursday.
His case could also become heavier since the authorities have launched an appeal to citizens, inviting other potential victims to come forward.
“We have reason to believe that the suspect could have caused other victims who never denounced him,” said Laurence Godbout, spokesperson for the SPVQ.
The police force therefore invites citizens who have information on this man to call 911 for immediate intervention or 418-641-2447 to transmit confidential information.
Note that the Management of Investigations into Serial Crimes, headed by the Sûreté du Québec, was also involved in this case.
“This is a unified command structure within which Quebec police services work in partnership to quickly identify crimes committed by predators and arrest them,” says M.me Godbout.
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