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Ex-youth worker facing sex charges

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from: canada.com

August 09, 2008 
Karen Brownlee
Leader-Post

CREDIT: Don Healy, Leader-Post
RCMP Sgt. Carole Raymond speaks at a news conference Friday regarding Ronald Anthony Sawa, 58, currently living in Regina, who was arrested and charged with 39 counts of sexual assault involving 18 victims.

RCMP investigators are looking into the possibility more victims may be identified after announcing that dozens of sexual assault charges have been laid against Ronald Anthony Sawa, a former employee of the Saskatchewan Boys Centre -- now known as the Paul Dojack Youth Centre.

Sawa, 58, was arrested by the RCMP Friday morning at his Regina home and taken into custody after a four-year investigation resulting in 39 counts of sexual assault involving 18 complainants.

"We have more than 18 victims in this investigation. These individuals have all spread out through Canada from coast to coast," said RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Carole Raymond.

"(The investigation) involved numerous other jurisdictions and other police forces and other detachments in getting to the possible victims and getting information."

Sawa was released following an appearance before a justice of the peace Friday. His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 22.

"We are not opposed to his release. We have no information of alleged offenses occurring in the last four years," said Raymond.

Sawa was employed at the Saskatchewan Boys Centre and the Paul Dojack Youth Centre from 1974 to 1989. The charges relate to alleged incidents spanning his employment at the centre.

A news brief in the Leader-Post states that Sawa was a supervisor at the centre in 1989. The RCMP would not say where or in what capacity Sawa is currently employed.

Judy Orthner, spokeswoman for the Saskatchewan government, could only say that Sawa's employment with the government ended in 1989. Court records show this is not the first time Sawa has faced charges involving sexual impropriety, including at least one charge in 1989. His previous charges were all stayed.

The charges laid on Thursday stem from alleged incidents involving boys between the ages of 10 and 17.

The provincial government centre served as a child welfare facility during its time as the Saskatchewan Boys Centre, but changed to a corrections facility when it became the Paul Dojack Youth Centre in 1985. Hundreds would have resided at the facility during Sawa's time there.

"There certainly is potential for more victims to be identified and more charges to be laid," said Raymond. "The investigation is ongoing and we're certainly open to receiving more information."

The investigation into Sawa began in 2004 after six complainants came forward. It is not known if they came to the RCMP as a group or individually.

Alleged abuses at the centre earlier led to civil court actions against a number of respondents, including the Government of Saskatchewan.

Regina lawyer Tony Merchant said he is aware of many more who allege abuse at the centre. His firm is representing 81 individuals living across Canada who spent time there and allege both physical and sexual abuse.

Merchant said the claims of six of his clients have been settled and that they have received compensation. The claims of 25 others are proceeding to mediation this fall.

Orthner said Friday that three claims have been settled for a total of $71,000 through normal court processes and another 35 claims are outstanding.

Merchant said "quite a number" of his Dojack centre clients -- the first of whom approached his firm in 2001 -- are in correctional facilities today. He said they live in Nova Scotia, as well as the three Prairie provinces.

"We've never encouraged people to go to the criminal authorities, because we look for closure and an end to the problems for them in a different way.

"I don't mean a different way in terms of getting financial compensation for them, although that's part of it. But we try to assist people to get closure by getting compensation and putting it behind them and having society recognize something wrong happened.

"The criminal side we've never thought as important as the other ways of closure."

Anyone with information relating to this investigation is urged by the RCMP to contact one's local detachment.

© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008

2008 Aug 9