Media Releases

Edmonton massage therapist charged with sexual assault

29 Nov 2024 22:46:00 UT

The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) has charged a 55-year-old male with sexual assault in relation to an incident that occurred in southeast Edmonton earlier this year.

In October 2024, it was reported to police that a female complainant was inappropriately touched by the accused while he provided a massage at a physiotherapy clinic in the Mill Woods neighbourhood.

Following an investigation by the EPS, Pepito Manalo, 55, was charged with one count of sexual assault on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

Pepito Manalo, 55

Pepito Manalo may still be practicing massage therapy in Edmonton. Investigators believe the accused may have offended against other complainants and are encouraging them to come forward.

The Certified Registered Massage Therapist Association (CRMTA), a governing body for the industry, has cancelled Pepito Manalo’s Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) license.

Police seek public’s assistance identifying suspect in convenience store robbery

29 Nov 2024 21:18:00 UT

The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is seeking the public’s assistance locating a male suspect responsible for robbing a convenience store in southwest Edmonton.

On Saturday, November 23, 2024, at approximately 1:38 a.m., a male suspect entered a convenience store with a handgun in the area of 119 Street and 40 Avenue. As captured in CCTV footage, the suspect pointed the gun at the lone store clerk and walked behind the store’s counter before filling three garbage bags with cigarettes and cash from the register and fleeing the scene on foot in an unknown direction.

The suspect is described as a 16 to 20-year-old male with long, curly black hair who is approximately 5’9 with a fit build.

The suspect wore a black hooded sweatshirt, black trackpants with a solid white stripe down both sides and grey running shoes with white trim. He also wore a white medical mask and black gloves. The suspect’s weapon was described as a black or dark grey handgun with paint chips and scratches on its frame.

Assist to Identify: Robbery Suspect

Police are asking residents in the Aspen Gardens, Royal Gardens and Greenfield neighbourhoods to check their dashcam and video camera footage for any suspicious activity on Saturday, November 23, 2024, between 1 and 2 a.m.

“We are hopeful that residents of the community will be able to provide us with video footage from November 23that will help us identify this suspect,” says Detective Troy Seguin with EPS’ Robbery Unit. “If you have footage of suspicious activity, please contact us immediately.”

Police searching for murder weapon

29 Nov 2024 19:47:33 UT

Investigators are seeking the public’s assistance locating the weapon believed to be used in the Oct. 16, 2024 murder of Aaron Staszko.

The weapon, an orange-handled machete with a black curved blade, is believed to have been left on or near a dirt path in the river valley in the area of 20 Street and 137 Avenue, as shown in the image below. Investigators believe a passerby may have inadvertently picked it up.

Overhead view of area where machete is believed to have been discarded

Anyone with information regarding the weapon is advised to call EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.p3tips.com/250.

Background

On Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, at approximately 11:32 a.m. police responded to a report of a disturbance at a residence in the area of 34 Street and 138 Avenue. When officers arrived on scene, they located a severely injured 32-year-old male in critical condition.

EMS responded, treated and transported the male to hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

On Oct. 18, 2024, the Edmonton Medical Examiner’s Office completed an autopsy on Aaron Staszko, 32, and determined that he died as a result of injuries caused by an edged weapon. The manner of death is confirmed to be homicide.

On Oct. 19, 2024, police arrested Michael Ferreira, 33, on a warrant for second degree murder. Ferreira was also charged with assault with a weapon and uttering threats in relation to his interactions with a 35-year-old woman during the initial disturbance incident. All three people were known to one another.

Driver dies following serious collision on Yellowhead Trail

28 Nov 2024 23:08:00 UT

A 46-year-old woman who was critically injured in a collision on Yellowhead Trail earlier this month has passed away.

On Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, at approximately 9 p.m., Northwest Branch patrol officers responded to a collision in the area of Yellowhead Trail and Winterburn Road. It was reported to police that a recliner fell out of the back of an older model dark-coloured pickup truck travelling westbound on Yellowhead Trail. The pickup then pulled over and stopped on the southside of Yellowhead Trail. Moments later, a Toyota Corolla sedan, also travelling westbound, slowed and collided with the recliner before coming to a stop. The Corolla was then struck from behind by a Chevy Avalanche that did not stop. The dark-coloured truck fled the scene following the collision.

The 79-year-old male driver of the Avalanche was transported to hospital by EMS as a precaution. STARS Air Ambulance responded, treated and transported the 46-year-old female driver of the Corolla to hospital with critical, life-threatening injuries. On Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, she succumbed to her injuries in hospital.

EPS Major Collision Investigations Section (MCIS) continues to investigate and is once again asking the public for information about the dark-coloured truck and the recliner pictured below.

“Sadly, this collision illustrates the tragic outcome that may result when a load is not properly secured,” says Acting Sergeant Jefry Knull with MCIS. “If anyone witnessed this collision, has dash camera footage of the incident or knows the driver of the dark-coloured truck, we encourage them to reach out to us as soon as possible.”

Recliner Involved in Serious Collision

Anyone with information about this collision can contact the EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.p3tips.com/250.

Edmonton woman charged with fraud; police believe there may be additional complainants

28 Nov 2024 17:39:00 UT

The Edmonton Police Service has charged a 60-year-old woman after she defrauded a local senior of millions of dollars.

In 2019, police were contacted by the family of a now 88-year-old Edmonton man who they believed was being defrauded by an Edmonton woman. It was alleged to police that between 2008 and 2017, the woman befriended the man and slowly defrauded him of approximately $5 million dollars.

To date, investigators have been able to substantiate at least $1.6 million in stolen funds and following a lengthy investigation by the EPS Financial Crimes Section, Tina “Phoeut” Soeung, 60, was charged with one count of fraud over $5000 on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.

Police have reason to believe that Soeung may have befriended and defrauded others in a similar way and are encouraging anyone who feels they may have been targeted by her to contact the EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.p3tips.com/250.

Tina “Phoeut” Soeung, 60

“This is an unfortunate case of the accused actively taking advantage of someone’s kindness and generosity, as is often the circumstance in frauds,” says Detective Dayna Bulas with the EPS Financial Crimes Section. “While we’re unable to recover the funds that were lost, we’re hopeful we can prevent the accused from victimizing others in a similar way.”

Police seize nearly $750,000 of drugs in central Edmonton

27 Nov 2024 19:29:00 UT

A 36-year-old male is facing drug and firearm-related charges after police seized nearly $750,000 of drugs, cash, a firearm and ammunition in a central Edmonton residence earlier this month.

On Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at approximately 2:12 p.m., police responded to a check on welfare for a male at a residence in the area of 120 Street and 107 Avenue. Upon arrival, officers observed blood on the male’s hands. Police were invited into the apartment by the male where drugs and a firearm were observed in plain view.

Police immediately arrested Tyler Graham, 36, and obtained a search warrant for the residence.

The search resulted in the seizure of over six kilograms of methamphetamine, nearly four kilograms of soft cocaine, nearly two kilograms of fentanyl and over one kilogram of hard cocaine. The total street value of the seized drugs is approximately $750,000. Police also located drug paraphernalia, over $7,000 of Canadian currency, a handgun with a defaced serial number and ammunition.

Drugs and cash seized from residence

Seized firearm and ammunition

“Although our officers were expecting to respond to a check on welfare, these circumstances quickly escalated when a firearm was observed, which also lead to the seizure of nearly $750,000 of illicit drugs,” said Inspector Brent Dahlseide with EPS’ Downtown Patrol Branch. “We are thankful that we were able to safely and successfully take a firearm, ammunition and a large volume of illicit drugs off of our streets.”

Tyler Graham, 36, is facing drug and weapon-related charges, including possession for the purpose of trafficking (x4) and possession of proceeds of crime. His next court date is Thursday, November 28, 2024.

Police warn of e-transfer scam

27 Nov 2024 15:56:35 UT

The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is advising the public of a recent increase in reported e-transfer scams related to online buy and sell platforms.

Since Nov. 1, 2024, the EPS has received four reports regarding an e-transfer scam related to purchases made on online buy and sell platforms such as Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace. In each incident, the purchaser sends the complainant an e-mail that resembles a legitimate e-transfer. When the complainant clicks the link to deposit the funds, they are directed to a fraudulent website that looks similar to that of their bank. When they enter their username and password, the information is sent to the suspects, who then gain access to their online banking. In total, more than $6,700 has been lost to this scam to date this month.

“As e-transfers become a more common way to pay for purchases made through online buy and sell platforms, scammers are becoming increasingly creative with their tactics to gain access to your money and personal information,” says Det. Linda Herczeg with the EPS Financial Crimes Section. “Thankfully, there are some simple steps you can take to detect this scam and protect yourself from financial loss.”

When choosing to accept e-transfers as a form of payment, police advise carefully reviewing the e-mails and websites links to determine their legitimacy:

Interac e-mail money transfers should be received from notify@payments.interac.ca Review this e-mail address carefully and take note of any strange text. If it does not look legitimate do not accept the transfer.
When redirected to your bank’s website, verify that the website is legitimate by checking the URL. If the URL doesn’t look right or contains strange text, do not enter your login information and call your bank to confirm the correct website URL.

If you are unsure about the e-transfer, decline to accept it and instead ask for an in-person cash payment. Alternatively, set up auto-deposit for all e-transfers, which will bypass the need for any banking log in. When you receive an e-transfer via auto-deposit, verify it has been deposited in your account, as suspects will sometimes also send a fake auto-deposit notification. When purchasing items from online buy and sell platforms, also keep the following safety tips in mind:

Do not meet in a secluded place or invite strangers into your home. Suggest meeting during the day at a public location, ideally with video surveillance, such as one of the EPS Buy and Sell Exchange Zones.
Have someone come with you when you meet. If you cannot arrange for someone to accompany you, let friends or family know where you are going, what time you are meeting and all the details about who you are meeting, Let your contact know that everything is ok.
Ask the buyer for photo ID. Take a photo of it for your reference.
Take screenshots of the buyer's contact information, and all communications.

Anyone who believes they may have lost money or personal information in a similar scam is encouraged to report it to the EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.p3tips.com/250.

EPS officer charged

26 Nov 2024 21:19:17 UT

An Edmonton Police Service (EPS) officer has been charged in relation to a Jan. 20, 2024, incident.

On Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, Detective Michael Bates, a 17-year member of the EPS, was charged with assault in relation to an on-duty incident that occurred at Corona LRT station on Jan. 20, 2024.

Det. Bates remains on active duty, and is currently employed in a non-patrol and non-supervisory position.

The EPS Professional Standards Branch initiated an internal complaint regarding the officer on March 25, 2024, and a formal investigation was launched April 4, 2024.

The case was referred to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Services in Calgary in June 2024 to determine if criminal charges were warranted. On August 19, 2024, prosecutors recommended the EPS officer be charged with one count of assault.

EPS Professional Standards Branch will commence an investigation under the Police Service Regulation (PSR) following the resolution of the criminal prosecution.

As the matter is currently before the courts, the EPS is not able to provide further comment or information about the incident or investigation.

Police provide update on ongoing arson investigations in southwest and southeast Edmonton

25 Nov 2024 21:00:00 UT

The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is continuing to investigate a number of arsons in southwest and southeast Edmonton that have occurred this year and have expanded the scope of their investigation after continued partnership with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services (EFRS).

In May 2024, police began investigating a suspicious fire in Edmonton’s Strathearn neighbourhood.

On Friday, November 8, 2024, police issued a news release highlighting a total of seven ongoing arson investigations at the time in the King Edward Park and Holyrood neighbourhoods.

After continued investigations with EFRS, as well as information received from residents in the affected communities, police can now confirm they are investigating a total of 24 arsons that have occurred in Allendale, Belgravia, Ritchie, King Edward Park, Holyrood and Strathearn this year. The majority of these arsons date back to earlier in the year, with one additional arson being reported since EPS’ last update on November 8, 2024.

These arsons have taken place in residential neighbourhoods, including occupied residences, unoccupied new homes and detached garages and sheds.

“As we continue to work with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services, the City of Edmonton and members of the impacted communities, we are thoroughly reviewing all arsons that have been reported in these areas since the beginning of the year,” says Inspector Shannon Dechamplain with EPS’ Investigations Branch. “While we are unsure if these events are related beyond proximity, we have been able to identify several persons of interests. We are thankful for the public’s assistance and cooperation in helping us move this investigation forward and ask that any suspicious activity continue to be reported to police.”

Police are also continuing to patrol throughout the affected communities in southwest and southeast Edmonton, increasing proactive response with additional help from EPS crime disruption and suppression teams.

As previously reported, there are no connections to Project Gaslight at this time. Police also do not believe that these events are related to Bitcoin extortions.

Police seek witnesses and video following hit-and-run collision involving pedestrian

23 Nov 2024 03:31:29 UT

The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is seeking witnesses and video footage following a hit-and-run collision with a pedestrian that occurred on Thursday evening.

On Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, at approximately 11 p.m., an adult male pedestrian activated the traffic light and crossed Ellerslie Road at 116 street. An SUV was travelling east on Ellerslie Road and failed to slow or stop for the red light and struck the pedestrian. The SUV failed to stop following the collision and fled the scene. EMS responded, treated and transported the pedestrian to hospital with serious non-life-threatening injuries. Police are seeking witness information or video footage looking to identify the driver and the dark-coloured SUV.

“We are asking for anyone with information about this hit-and-run collision to contact police at their earliest convenience,” says Acting Sergeant Jefry Knull, Major Collision Investigation Section (MCIS). “Specifically, we are also looking for any dash camera footage from motorists who may have captured the collision.”

Investigators are asking anyone with information or dash camera footage from the time of the collision to contact the EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.p3tips.com/250.