Police looking for more victims in lengthy online luring, sex-assault investigation

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This article was published 30/11/2023 (709 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg police are investigating a man accused of luring two teen girls and a young woman via commonly used social media platforms in order to sexually assault them — and suspect there could be other victims.

The accused, Michael Edward Bruce, 42, was first arrested on June 27, 2022, after child-abuse and counter-exploitation investigators began probing alleged, separate sexual assaults of the two teen victims and the woman in her 20s in April that year.

Investigators believe the accused used social media to talk to the victims, before luring and sexually assaulting them, using the online pseudonym “Eddie Brigance,” police said Thursday.

After his June arrest, Bruce was charged with luring a person under 18, luring a person under 16, obtaining sexual services from a person under 18, sexual assault, invitation to sexual touching, making child pornography and sexual interference. He was released with conditions not to contact anyone under 18.

Police also seized a cellphone and began a lengthy digital analysis of the device, police spokeswoman Const. Dani McKinnon said.

In September 2022, police charged Bruce with two more counts of sexual assault, and one more count each of sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a person under 18. He was again released with conditions.

McKinnon said police did not announce his 2022 arrests until now as police believed the alleged victims in the case were safe — and investigators needed more time to analyze the seized phone and conduct a further probe.

“The court orders were put in place, and the investigation was still ongoing,” she said. “Often the investigation into those electronic devices takes a considerable amount of time — months to a year. That time frame is not uncommon.”

McKinnon added that the further probe also included interviews with victims and witnesses.

“Based on this lengthy investigation … as well as the nature of this offence, there’s certainly a possibility that other victims do exist,” said McKinnon.

“If this is the case, we do not want people to blame themselves, to feel ashamed that they did get victimized; it’s about now moving forward and finding healing for themselves.”

McKinnon said anyone who wants to speak to an investigator should call the child-abuse unit at 204-986-3296 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477, adding that speaking with an investigator does not necessarily need to result in charges against an accused.

“Just because you make a report to police, it does not always result in charges or attending court, and if support is something a survivor is seeking, the Winnipeg Police Service will take every opportunity to connect a survivor with appropriate resources,” McKinnon said.

In 2014, Bruce was convicted of an aggravated assault committed in 2013. He was sentenced to just under four months in jail, as well as two years of supervised probation and a one-year weapons prohibition. He’s also been convicted of several court condition breaches, including in 2011, 2010 and 2006, but no sexual offences, court records show.

The 2022 sex crimes charges remain before the Court of King’s Bench in the pre-trial stage, records show.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca