The Northumberland detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has laid charges against a former priest in relation to a historical sexual assault investigation in Campbellford.
In March 2022, police investigators received information a victim had allegedly been sexually assaulted between 2015 and 2020 at a church in Campbellford.
As a result of the investigation, police have charged 50-year-old Jean-Pierre Pilon (also known as Anthony Lawrence) from Mamora with two counts of sexual assault. The accused man is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Cobourg on August 31, 2022, to answer to the charges.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information in relation to this investigation, or anyone who believes they may be a victim of a similar incident, is asked to call Northumberland OPP at 1-888-310-1122. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or leave a tip online at ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
The OPP is reminding the public to always use caution and be aware of their personal safety at all times. You can report a sexual offence to police no matter how long ago it happened, and someone can be charged for sexual assault as a result.
The duty of the police is to bring an appropriate resolution to the case by conducting a professional and thorough investigation, while at the same time providing you with necessary information, resources, and support.
You can report a sexual assault by calling the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or 9-1-1 in an emergency. If you do not want to make a report to police, or need time and support to make that decision, the OPP has partnered with many other agencies that can help.
Ontario 211 provides information on and referrals to Ontario’s community, social, and health-related and government services. Simply call 2-1-1 or visit 211ontario.ca for more information.
You can also find local resources and support by searching your location on the Victim Services Directory at ovss.findhelp.ca/ or by contacting the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres at sexualassaultsupport.ca.
