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Updated: Former Three Hills Bible college youth leader charged with sex crimes

RCMP are asking other potential victims to come forward
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A former youth leader at Prairie College in Three Hills is facing child sexual exploitation charges dating back to 2002 to 2004.

Three Hills RCMP said they launched an investigation on June 10, 2021 after a man reported an alleged historic sexual assault. That investigation led to three other alleged male victims of child sexual exploitation-related crimes from multiple incidents at the bible college around the same time period.

Three Hills RCMP Sgt. Jamie Day said the suspect, Derek Taplin, 43, had attended the college and volunteered as a youth leader but was not employed by the college.

He was arrested in Winnipeg on Tuesday on a Canada-wide warrant and will be brought back to Alberta to face charges.

Day said he wants others who may have information that could help the investigation or are victims themselves and may be struggling that they can come forward and police will be there to help.

“This is an alleged sex assault. Our big thing right now is if there are other victims out there our goal is getting in contact with them and having them tell their story if they are comfortable doing that.”

Prairie College president Mark Maxwell said he was informed by the RCMP on Wednesday that Taplin, who had been a student at the college from the fall of 2001 to the spring of 2004, had been charged.

“I feel very sorry for the people around Derek, like family and church, whose lives have certainly been up-ended by this news,” he said in an email on Wednesday.

“The charges are allegations and those will have to be determined in court. To the degree the allegations are true, I feel very sorry for the people who have been victimized.

“Our prayers are with those who have been hurt, including the family, and the church community.”

Maxwell thanked the RCMP for their work in providing safe communities.

In a news release, RCMP said, “Sexual assault is a serious crime, and the Three Hills RCMP investigates every complaint thoroughly, with the utmost professionalism and care. A complaint for sexual offences can be made at any time, no matter how far back the incident happened.”

Taplin, 43, of Winnipeg, is charged with four counts each of sexual exploitation of a young person, sexual interference, sexual assault and invitation to sexual touching.

The investigation continues.



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