Former Mayor of Burns Lake Luke Strimbold has been charged with numerous counts of sexual assault and sex-related offences, and police believe there could be more alleged victims.
North District RCMP did not speak to the exact number of charges, or specific details in a news release Friday, but did say the allegations are said to have occurred in 2016.
Black Press Media has reached out to BC Prosecution Service for more details.
According to news reports, Strimbold was arrested and released on Feb. 3.
Anyone with further information is asked to call the Burns Lake RCMP non-emergency number at 250-692-7171 or Crime Stoppers.
Former mayor resigns as member of BC Liberal Party
Strimbold, 28, was elected mayor of Burns Lake in 2011 at the age of 21, making him the youngest mayor to ever be elected in B.C. He resigned suddenly in 2016, announcing his desire to focus on educational opportunities and his family.
. @bcliberals confirm that Strimbold has resigned as membership chair and as a member of party, after the party found out about the charges Friday afternoon via social media.
— Ashley Wadhwani (@ashwadhwani) March 3, 2018
But after resigning from his municipal role, he soon became a member of the BC Liberal Party and its membership chair for the provincial executive board.
Since news of the charges broke, Strimbold has been removed from the BC Liberal’s website.
In a very brief statement, the Party says they became aware of the matter this afternoon via social media and that Strimbold has now resigned as Membership Chair and as a member of the party.
According to its website, Strimbold also holds the position of an administrator for Burns Lake forestry-company E.A. Strimbold Ltd., which describes itself as a “family owned business that prides itself in being the biggest small company around.”
Other Strimbold family members are listed as colleagues.
He’s also remained close with community of Burns Lake, sitting as president of the Burns Lake & District Chamber of Commerce.
Black Press Media has reached out for comment to the chamber of commerce board of directors.