A high profile organizer of local youth acting camps has been arrested and charged for sexual assault and sexual exploitation of minors.
An RCMP news release states Ryan Mooney, 25, currently living in Vancouver, was arrested Wednesday (July 12) and held in custody to appear in North Vancouver Provincial Court the following day, Thursday (July 13).
Police received a complaint in mid June regarding the allegations, which stem from Jan. to March 2006, according to the release. Investigative findings forwarded to Crown Counsel resulted in five counts of sexual exploitation and sexual assault involving individuals under the age of 18.
Mooney is a graduate of Howe Sound Secondary School and is well known to the community for his involvement in numerous theatrical productions with school-aged children. Most recently, Mooney headed an acting camp in the summer of 2005. The camp resulted in a theatrical production that involved 50 children aged 7 to 18. In Jan. and Feb. of this year, Mooney was directing another production involving 70 child and adult performers, which was performed March 3 to 11.
Mooney also worked with a Lower Mainland based company focused on dramatic and artistic productions involving school-aged children throughout B.C.
The RCMP is continuing to investigate and police are exploring the possibility that there might be other victims related to these offenses. Anyone with information is asked to contact Squamish RCMP at 604 892-6100 or Crime Stoppers at 1 800-222-TIPS.
