6 charged in series of Lower Mainland sex assaults and stranger attacks
Attacks took place at UBC, Vancouver, North Vancouver and Burnaby
Police say six people have been charged in relation to a series of unrelated sexual assaults and violent attacks which have occurred in communities across the Lower Mainland in the last three months.
At a joint news conference between RCMP and Vancouver Police, officers said the charges stem from attacks at the University of B.C., Vancouver, North Vancouver and Burnaby.
"These terrible, unprovoked crimes justifiably scared people," said Chief Supt. Jodie Boudreau, operations officer for the Lower Mainland District RCMP.
Although police called the news conference to announce what appeared to be a major break in their investigations, at least three of the arrests had been previously announced.
The six accused include five adults and one youth charged in connection with incidents dating back to January 12 of this year.
Police released a map containing the locations of 13 assaults and sexual assaults.
Investigators say there appears to be no connection between any of the individuals except for two men, David Singh Tucker and Yuan Zhi Gao, who were charged in relation to an alleged break and enter at UBC on April 30.
Tucker faces three counts of sexual assault, three counts of robbery and three counts of forcible confinement. And Gao faces a charge of break and enter to commit an indictable offence.
Two other accused, Michal Popek and Vaughan Englot, are charged with multiple counts of sexual assault. The youth is charged with sexual assault and assault.
The other accused is Jason Anthony White, also known as Jason Eugene Rindero. White was previously identified as a high-risk offender who was under long-term supervision for sexual assault when he allegedly attempted a home invasion at the Vancouver house of an 86-year-old woman.
Police say his activities are still under investigation for the possibility of other charges.
VPD Supt. Mike Porteous said police called on the RCMP's behavioural sciences unit and a real-time intelligence unit to analyze data and comb through lists of potential suspects.
He credited the victims for helping police.
"These men committed violent acts against women in our communities: women who should feel safe to walk, work and go about their business without being victimized," Porteous said.
"As a result of the courage of these women to come forward and tell their story, we have been able to take a number of these violent offenders off the street."