Curtis Sagmoen
Image Credit: Curtis Sagmoen
January 31, 2018 - 3:33 PM
NORTH OKANAGAN - Police say more women have come forward with allegations about Silver Creek resident Curtis Sagmoen.
In a news release today, Jan. 31, police say additional charges of assault, assault causing bodily harm and assault with a weapon have been approved against Curtis Wayne Sagmoen, 37, in connection with two alleged victims. The new charges involve women working as online escorts who used the website backpage.ca to advertise their services, RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Dan Moskaluk says in a media release. The alleged offences occurred on Aug. 10 and July 1.
Police say the victims attended to locations in close proximity to 2290 Salmon River Road — the property where missing Vernon teen Traci Genereaux’s remains were found — in response to inquiries on their ads.
“We appreciate the cooperation and information received to date from those who have been canvased, in particular the women involved in the North Okanagan area sex workers community. The primary purpose of our efforts is public safety. We believe there are other victims and witnesses to similar unreported incidents and are requesting that they come forward in order to assist us and so that we can assist them,” Moskaluk says.
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Police learned of the other victims following the execution of a warrant on Oct. 18 at 2290 Salmon River Road and the ensuing investigation at that property. The Southeast District Major Crime Unit has been made aware of a number of allegations of violence by Okanagan area sex workers, according to today's news release, and RCMP investigators are continuing their investigations into these allegations.
The RCMP Southeast District Major Crime Unit asks that anyone with information regarding similar incidents contact the Southeast District Major Crime Unit tip line at 1-877-987-8477.
The new charges come as Sagmoen is already facing a number of allegations. Charges of disguising face with intent to commit an offence, intentionally discharging a firearm while reckless, uttering threats, careless use or storage of a firearm and possessing weapon for a dangerous purpose were laid against Sagmoen last October in connection with a woman being threatened with a gun on Aug. 27. Sagmoen was also charged with one count of possession of methamphetamine dated Sept. 5.
Those charges came shortly after the RCMP issued a news release warning the public, and specifically sex trade workers, about an incident in the Salmon River Road area. The investigation revealed that a meeting was arranged via a website used by escorts and sex trade workers, and when the woman arrived, the man allegedly produced a firearm and threatened her, police said at the time. She managed to flee unharmed.
Sagmoen resided at 2290 Salmon River Road in the rural community of Silver Creek, north of Vernon. The property was the focus of a massive police search in October and November of 2017, spanning about three weeks.
An iNFOnews.ca exclusive revealed that another escort was called to that area in September 2017 and left fearing for her safety.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Sagmoen is scheduled to appear on the new charges on Feb. 19, in Vernon Provincial Court.
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