Alberta man charged with trafficking, sexual exploitation of multiple teen girls

Police in southern Alberta have laid a series of charges against a man accused of targeting vulnerable girls and confining and sexually assaulting them over multiple incidents.

Lethbridge police were called to an apartment near downtown Lethbridge on Dec. 19 after getting reports that a 14-year-old girl was being held inside.

When officers arrived, a man answered the door. The girl was found inside in medical distress and was taken to hospital.

The suspect was arrested without incident. During a subsequent search of the apartment, officers located two additional girls, aged 15 and 16.

According to police, the 14‑year‑old victim reported she had been forcibly confined in the apartment for three days and repeatedly sexually assaulted by the accused and other men. She also reported being forced to consume drugs during the assaults.

The two other girls told investigators they had been confined in the apartment for several hours, during which the man exposed himself to them.

Skye Atoa, 50, of Lethbridge, now faces a lengthy list of charges, including trafficking of a person under 18, sexual assault of a child under 16, sexual interference, obtaining sexual services of a child for consideration, indecent exposure to a child under 16, sexual counsel of a child, and three counts of unlawful confinement.

Police say Atoa is also charged in connection with a separate incident from October 2025, when a 24‑year‑old vulnerable woman was allegedly sexually assaulted at his residence. In that case, he faces charges of sexual assault and obtaining or communicating for the purpose of obtaining sexual services.

Atoa has been in custody since mid‑December but was granted bail following a court hearing on Monday. He is expected to be released under numerous conditions and is scheduled to appear in court in early February.

Investigators believe there may be additional victims who have not yet come forward. As part of the ongoing investigation, police have released Atoa’s photo, noting that some victims may know him only by an alias.

Anyone with information, or anyone who believes they may have been victimized, is urged to call Lethbridge Police at 403‑328‑4444.