The Saskatchewan flag flies outside a provincial building. Photo: APTN file
A 63-year-old North Battleford-area man has been charged with sexual assaulting a 16-year-old year girl from the Saskatoon area.
The Saskatchewan Internet Child Exploitation Unit or ICE Unit announced the arrest in a release Thursday.
The release said the accused connected with the alleged victim through a popular online chat application it did not name.
“The investigation was able to identify the young female who said that in June the male suspect took her to his hotel room and sexually assaulted her,” the release said.
“The investigation also identified that the adult male had been grooming the young female through the exchange of naked pictures after they became online friends.”
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
ICE Unit
The ICE Unit is comprised of investigators from the RCMP, Regina Police Service, Saskatoon Police Service and Prince Albert Police Service. The unit investigates crimes involving the abuse and exploitation of children online.
Police said they seized the accused’s cellphone for forensic analysis and to identify other possible victims. They ask other young females who were in contact with the accused to get in touch with them through their local police.
Oakley Blackstar was arrested by North Battleford RCMP on Sept. 23, the release said.
He is charged with one count of sexual assault, one count of luring a child, and one count of making explicit material available to a child.
Blackstar was released on conditions after appearing in Saskatchewan provincial court on Sept. 30, the release added. His next court appearance is set for Oct. 22.
