By Simon Little / Global BC

Former Burns Lake mayor Luke Strimbold expected to plead guilty to sex charges

Apr 10, 2019 | 8:09 AM

BURNS LAKE, B.C. — The former mayor of Burns Lake, B.C., who faces a slew of sex charges involving minors, is expected to enter guilty pleas next month.

Luke Strimbold is facing 29 charges, including sexual assault, sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching involving six male teens, all of whom were under the age of 16 at the time.

B.C. Prosecution Service spokesperson Dan McLaughlin confirmed Strimbold is expected in court in Smithers on May 6 to enter the pleas, though McLaughlin would not say to which charges or on how many of the charges Strimbold would plead guilty.

At least 15 of the charges relate to offences alleged to have happened while Strimbold was in office, according to court documents. He resigned in September 2016.

A publication ban prohibits identifying the names of the alleged victims in any reports.

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A special prosecutor took control of the case in March 2018 because of Strimbold’s status as a former mayor and his links to the B.C. Liberal Party.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.

—With files from the Canadian Press and Jesse Fererras