Former firefighter charged after police sting targeting alleged sexual predators
Mitchell Brett Maurer was one of 47 suspects arrested after months-long operation, police say
Update — Mar. 15, 2021: Jun Jie He was acquitted in March 2020 and the charge against Mehran Arefi was stayed in December 2020.
Nikolaos Dais, Jim Malmros and Mitchell Brett Maurer all pleaded not guilty to communicating for the sexual services of someone under 18. All four men pleaded guilty to the lesser, included offence of communicating to obtain sexual services.
Donald Hugh Schroeder has been ordered to stand trial in B.C. Supreme Court.
The charge against Kenneth Clement is set for trial in Vancouver Provincial Court beginning Apr. 19.
A former firefighter arrested in an extensive Vancouver police sting targeting predators allegedly willing to pay teenagers for sex acts has now been criminally charged.
Mitchell Brett Maurer was one of 47 suspects arrested after a months-long operation in late 2018. Detectives posing as girls between 15 and 17 years old posted ads with fake photos on escort sites and social media, arranging hotel meetings with suspects willing to pay a fee for an agreed sex act.
Suspects who showed up at hotels were arrested by waiting police, officers said.
Maurer, born in 1980, is now charged with obtaining for consideration the sexual services of a person under the age of 18. The District of North Vancouver confirmed he used to work there as a firefighter, but did not say when or under what circumstances his employment came to an end.
"It would be inappropriate for us to provide further comment," a district spokesperson said in an email to CBC News.
Announcing the dozens of arrests to reporters in January, Vancouver police deputy chief Const. Laurence Rankin said the accused came from "all walks of life," including a retired school teacher, a former Vancouver school trustee and a firefighter — now confirmed to be Maurer.
Maurer's name was not confirmed until he was formally charged.
A list of the men now charged is as follows:
- Mario Celo Amistad
- Jim Malmros
- Jun Jie He
- Nikolaos Dais
- Mitchell Brett Maurer
- Donald Schroeder
- Kenneth Clement
- Mehran Arefi
Amistad, 50, pleaded guilty to the lesser and included offence of communicating to obtain sexual services. He is set to be sentenced on Feb. 14, 2020.
The other men, excluding Maurer, have all pleaded not guilty.
Maurer is due in court on Oct. 28.
Corrections
- An earlier version of this story said Mario Cel Amistad pleaded guilty to communicating to obtain the sexual services of a child. In fact, he pleaded guilty to the lesser and included offence of communicating to obtain sexual services.Mar 15, 2021 3:13 PM PT