City councillor Russ Wyatt charged with sex assault

A Winnipeg city councillor has been advised by the mayor to step away from his duties after being accused by police of drugging and sexually assaulting a man he met on the internet.

Russ Wyatt, a 56-year-old who represents Transcona at city hall, was arrested and charged Tuesday.

The Winnipeg Police Service said sex crimes investigators began probing the allegations in February after a sexual assault report was submitted. The victim told investigators he met the accused on a website and then in person several times, police said.

It’s alleged that during a gathering in December in the east area of the city, the victim was given an illicit drug and sexually assaulted. The man sought medical attention after he left the home.

Wyatt has been charged with sexual assault and administering a noxious thing with intent to aggrieve or annoy. Police said he was released on an undertaking.

The typically outspoken councillor declined to comment in a text message and directed the Free Press to his lawyer, Evan Roitenberg.

“We will not be trying this case in the media,” said Roitenberg, a veteran defence lawyer. “Mr. Wyatt is innocent and we look forward to having a trial on the merits.”

“We will not be trying this case in the media.”

Mayor Scott Gillingham was careful when asked by reporters about the allegations.

“The matter will go before the courts, so I won’t speak anything further to that, except (to say) that these are very serious charges,” said Gillingham.

It was not immediately clear how Wyatt’s role on council will be affected, but the mayor advised him to deal with the charges instead of working at city hall.

The City of Winnipeg Charter — which is provincial law — dictates that a member of council automatically forfeits their seat if they’re convicted of certain serious criminal offences, but not if they’re charged.

“Notwithstanding the rules that may be in place, I would really encourage the councillor to step away and deal with this matter,” said Gillingham, who added he was made aware of the charges “first thing” Wednesday morning.

The mayor said he did not know whether Wyatt plans to attend Thursday’s council meeting.

City officials looked at implementing a forced leave of absence for councillors charged with a crime after Wyatt was accused of criminal sexual impropriety in 2018. On Wednesday, the mayor’s spokesman said it was discovered that provincial legislation would not allow it.

Wyatt was elected to city council in 2002 and held the Transcona seat until 2018, when he decided not to run for re-election after he was charged criminally, though he claimed it was for other reasons.

He took a leave from council for what city officials deemed a family matter in January 2018, but in March of that year, Wyatt wrote to the Free Press to say he was seeking treatment at a rehabilitation centre for alcohol and substance disorders.

That letter made no reference to the sexual assault allegation that police were investigating at the time. In June 2018, he came out as bisexual and said he had been living a double life.

The next month, Wyatt was charged with sex assault after a woman told police he had attacked her in his home in January.

Wyatt also maintained his innocence in response to the first charge, which was stayed by Crown prosecutors in June 2019. Details about why the stay was entered were never made public.

In 2022, he returned to politics and was elected again. He currently sits on council’s property and development committee.

Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood Coun. Evan Duncan, chairman of the property and development committee, echoed the mayor’s comments in telling Wyatt to step back from city hall.

“It would be the responsible thing to do,” said Duncan. “We, as elected officials, need to be held to a higher standard.”

He said in most other professions, an individual charged with such serious crimes would be typically put on paid leave until court proceedings are complete.

“I would really encourage the councillor to step away and deal with this matter.”

“I hope that Coun. Wyatt does the right thing,” said Duncan.

“This is (about) more than just him, this is the people of Transcona, this is Winnipeggers as a whole, this is his council colleagues and a mayor. This is more than just one councillor.”

Longtime North Kildonan Coun. Jeff Browaty, who is the finance committee chairman, declined to comment on the charges his colleague is facing.

St. James Coun. Shawn Dobson, when told by the Free Press that Wyatt had been charged, said “Oh my God,” and then declined to comment further.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

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Erik Pindera
Reporter

Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020.  Read more about Erik.

Every piece of reporting Erik produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.