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WEDNESDAY May 5, 2010
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The Coquitlam Metro-Ford junior Wolves move one win closer to a provincial title.
Your source for local news, sports, weather and entertainment. www.thenownews.com
Substitute teacher charged with sexual assault
Police warn of potential for more victims at 42 schools Stories by Jennifer McFee jmcfee@thenownews.com A substitute teacher is facing sex-related charges for allegedly touching three Grade 3 girls in a Tri-Cities classroom, and police are seeking other possible victims. Aleksandr Vladimirovich Plehanov, 35, has been charged with three counts each of sexual interference, sexual exploitation and sexual assault. Plehanov, known as “Mr. P” to his students, worked as an on-call teacher at 42 different elementary, middle and secondary schools in School District 43 over the past three years. On March 10, Coquitlam RCMP launched an investiAleksandr Plehanov gation after receiving a call from a parent whose daughter alleged Plehanov had touched her inappropriately. Two other girls from the same Grade 3 class came forward with similar stories. Police said the alleged incidents occurred on the same day in the same classroom during school hours, but would not say whether the seven- and eight-year-old girls were together at the time. Plehanov was arrested at his Burnaby home on March 18 without incident and was released on bail the same day with 13 conditions. Police said that, under these conditions, Plehanov cannot contact the three victims and he must stay away from schools, daycares, swimming pools, playgrounds, skating rinks and recreation centres. He cannot carry weapons, and he is not allowed to work or volunteer with kids under 14 years. RCMP Cpl. Bert Paquet said investigators believe there may be more victims or witnesses to other incidents involving Plehanov, whose next court appearance is scheduled for June 3 at Port Coquitlam provincial court. “It’s definitely a scenario, although it is one that we do not like to consider, that we have to consider to further our investigation,” Paquet said Monday. “And this is why today is an opportunity to let the parents know about some of the details, so if there are other victims that they can come forward and assist us in our investigation.” RCMP are asking parents to determine if Plehanov taught their children between Jan. 31, 2007, and March 15, 2010 by contacting their schools directly. If they believe their child may have been a victim or witness, they should call the police. “We’re broadening our request for assistance to all the schools that he was involved in, whether he taught there once or whether he taught there 50 times,” Paquet said. Currently, Plehanov is not teaching in District 43. “He has worked in over 60 per cent of our schools at the elementary, middle and secondary levels since January 2007. These CONTINUED ON PAGE 5, see COLLEGE INVESTIGATING.
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Coquitlam RCMP Cpl. Bert Paquet outlines the charges against Aleksandr Plehanov who taught at 42 local schools.
How to talk to your kids about abuse
I
t’s an issue that needs to be addressed. But what’s the best way for parents to bring up issues of sexual abuse and exploitation with their children? Amy Schactman of Children of the Street Society suggests initiating these conversations as soon as possible. “A big thing for any form of exploitation is opening a dialogue at a young age. If later in life something happens, the child or youth feels comfortable going to their parents and talking to them because they know it’s a safe space and that the parent will support them. That would be our first suggestion,” she said. “It’s not easy, but it’s just dialoguing. It’s being open and communicating. It
sounds easier than it is, of course, but it’s got to start early.” Internet issues are also a big focus right now for Children of the Street Society, a Coquitlam-based charity dedicated to preventing sexual exploitation of children and youth. “The youth are more advanced with the technology right now than a lot of the parents,” she said. “It’s really important for parents to be aware of the social networking sites our kids are on. That way they can have an honest dialogue with their kids about it.” Once this type of communication begins, kids will feel more comfortable coming to parents with difficult prob-
lems, Schactman said. “The kids need to feel safe and know that they’re not going to get in trouble. It’s creating that safe place. I think if there’s an awareness with the parent and the youth, then dialogue can be made about it,” Schactman said. “If a young person at nine and 10 knows that their parents will always be supportive of them, then when they’re 13, 14, 15 and these things occur, they know that their parents aren’t going to be mad at them when they come home and they tell them this story.” If children do tell a parent that they CONTINUED ON PAGE 5, see PARENTS.
Pair busted for allegedly filming teen porn Two Port Moody men are facing multiple charges for filming sex with underage girls at a house party last fall, and police say more suspects may be involved. Port Moody police received a noise complaint on Sept. 12, 2009, about a home in the 900
block of Clarke Road. When officers showed up to investigate, an underage person at the party alleged a 25-year-old man was having sex with and filming teen girls inside the home. The officers located and arrested Matthew Richard
Sadlowski on four counts of sexual touching a person under 16, four charges of sexual interference of a person under 16 and one charge of making or publishing child pornography. They also arrested Michael Brian West, 23 at the time, on
four charges of invitation to sexual touching of a person under 16, one charge of making or publishing child pornography and one charge of a householder permitting sexual activity. CONT. ON PAGE 5, see GIRLS.
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