Man accused of drugging, raping Calgary sex trade workers faced similar charges last year: court docs
CBC
An Alberta man accused of confining, drugging and raping sex trade workers was first charged with sexual assault last year before Calgary police joined forces with the RCMP and two additional women were identified.
Richard Mantha faces 16 charges involving three women, who police allege were targeted and victimized by the 59-year-old resident of Rocky View County.
According to a lawsuit filed in the Court of King's Bench, Mantha worked as a truck driver for a Calgary company.
He's faced charges before, from Whitecourt, Alta., a town northwest of Edmonton, and Sherwood Park, Alta., just east of Edmonton — to Calgary and Strathmore, Alta.
Mantha is due in court on Wednesday, when he will face a judge on his 13 new charges.
Defence lawyer Kim Arial declined to comment on her client's new charges.
Police allege that between December 2021 and March 2023, at least three women were approached on 19th Avenue S.E. in Calgary's Forest Lawn neighbourhood. They were allegedly drugged and taken to a rural property east of the city where they were physically and sexually assaulted.
Police spent five days over the Easter weekend searching that property — an acreage about 16 kilometres east of Chestermere, Alta. — on Vale View Road. Investigators appeared to focus on the outbuilding where Mantha was living.
The property is owned by a couple who have been renting a shop to Mantha for about two years.
Last summer, Mantha was arrested by Strathmore RCMP and charged with sexual assault and assault causing bodily harm against a woman.
The case was working its way through the court system, but three weeks ago Mantha was accused of missing a court appearance.
Warrants were issued and Mantha was charged with failing to attend court.
Around the same time, Calgary police became involved, investigating Mantha for crimes related to Calgary sex trade workers.
After sharing information with RCMP, the two agencies worked together, culminating in the days-long search and a new set of charges.
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