North Battleford man charged with sexual assault after ICE Unit investigation

A 63-year-old North Battleford man is facing a number of charges — including sexual assault — after a complaint involving a 16-year-old girl from the Saskatoon area.

Now the Saskatchewan Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit is trying to determine if other girls had encounters with the suspect, Oakley Blackstar.

In a media release, the unit said it received a complaint Sept. 9 that a man had asked a 16-year-old girl in an online chat to meet him at a hotel or other location to have sex.

The police investigation identified the girl, who said she had gone in June to the man’s hotel room, where he sexually assaulted her.

Police also determined the man had been “grooming” the girl by exchanging naked pictures with her online.

Investigators identified the suspect and issued a warrant for his arrest. He was located by North Battleford RCMP officers on Sept. 24 and arrested.

Blackstar is facing charges of sexual assault, luring a child to facilitate an offence, and making explicit material available to a child.

Police also seized his cellphone for forensic analysis and to see if other girls were involved. The ICE Unit is asking any young women who had similar encounters with Blackstar to contact the ICE Unit through their local police departments.

Blackstar appeared in Saskatoon Provincial Court on Wednesday and was released on conditions. He’s to return to court on Oct. 22.

The ICE Unit includes investigators from the RCMP, Regina Police Service, Saskatoon Police Service and Prince Albert Police Service.