A Calgary man is facing charges after a 17-year-old boy came forward in January saying he was sexually assaulted after being given the date rape drug.
Police believe the accused identified the boy as being vulnerable and say the teen was offered drugs. The boy took what he thought was crystal meth but Investigators think he was given GHB to incapacitate him before he was sexually assaulted.
On Sunday, a second teen went to the suspect’s residence near 10 Street and 16 Avenue S.W. and when the teen tried to leave, he was allegedly chased down a hallway by the suspect with a large knife.
Police say the 19-year-old boy was not injured in the incident and they arrested the man at the scene.
“Because of the commotion that occurred at the residence, the police were notified,” said Staff Sgt. Melanie Oncescu, of the CPS Child Abuse Unit.
Robin Adair Wortman, 62, is charged with sexual assault in connection to the incident involving the 17-year-old boy and he is charged with assault with a weapon in relation to the 19-year-old teen.
Diana Krecsy is the President and CEO of the Calgary Homeless Foundation and says Wortman was a volunteer on its board of directors.
“He’s been with us for seven years and actually was rotating off the board now having served his full term so the allegations that came today were shocking, absolutely shocking,” she said.
Krecsy says Wortman did not have direct contact with clients and he has been removed from the board pending the outcome of the investigation.
“Right now our real concern is that the youth that have come forward are treated with respect and compassion in the system, which we believe CPS and the justice system will do their part, and we’re going to trust that and have confidence in due diligence and we’ve done our part in removing this director immediately from our board and we now look to support the community and these youth and any vulnerable people,” said Krecsy.
The 17-year-old received support from the Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre and Kennedy says 72 percent of people in treatment centres are abused as children.
“Kids that have been abused are 26 times more likely to experience youth homelessness. Kids that are abused are a 30 percent higher risk of high school dropout rate, so the impact is real and we also know that when kids are vulnerable, which I understand in this case, the potential of being vulnerable is there, it becomes even that much more risky,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy says the first step in breaking the chain of abuse is to tell someone and then to get help.
“To me, I think all kids are vulnerable. It’s up to all of us to pull on the rope and be as diligent as we can in protecting our youth but I do know that kids that have suffered early and have been caught up in the system, for whatever reason that might be, are even more vulnerable,” he said.
Wortman is scheduled to appear in court on the charges on Wednesday.
Anyone who may have information about this case is asked to call Det. Spence at 403-428-5457. Anyone who believes they’ve been a victim of sexual assault is asked to contact the Calgary Police Service at 403-266-1234.
