A Grande Prairie, Alberta man faces a string of child sex charges spanning April to June, involving victims as young as 12.
Joseph Kidd, 32, is charged with sexual assault, sexual interference, abduction, forcible confinement, assault while choking and harassment. RCMP say some of the alleged crimes occurred while he was under court-ordered conditions.
On April 17, a 14-year-old girl from British Columbia reported she had been taken to Kidd’s home after meeting him on social media. She said she stayed from April 11 to 17 and escaped when he left for work. Kidd was charged with sexual assault, sexual interference, forcible confinement, assault while choking and two firearms storage offences. A judge initially remanded him, but he was released April 30 with conditions.
Less than two weeks later, police say Kidd drove 700 km to Lloydminster to pick up an 18-year-old woman. She told police he assaulted her when she refused sex. She called 911 from his home on May 10. New charges included assault, assault while choking, sexual assault and failing to comply with release conditions. A justice of the peace released Kidd on June 1 on $7,500 cash bail and an order to appear in court June 22.
On June 18, a 15-year-old girl told Grande Prairie RCMP a man had followed her, offered alcohol and sexually assaulted her between June 4 and 18. Kidd was charged with criminal harassment, sexual interference, sexual assault and again failing to comply. That same day, the mother of a 12-year-old girl reported a man in a yellow convertible Camaro tried to lure her child into the car.
Officers located Kidd driving the suspect vehicle and arrested him. He appeared in court this week, was remanded into custody, and is scheduled to appear July 2.
Supt. Mark MacDougald urged parents to speak with children about safe social media use, and RCMP believe there may be more victims. Anyone with information is asked to call Grande Prairie RCMP at 780-830-5700 or Crime Stoppers.
