Just ahead of a planned deployment to Afghanistan, a corporal with the Canadian Forces stationed at CFB Petawawa was charged Sunday with four counts of sexual assault and four counts of assault in relation to two incidents that happened last week and two that occurred last fall.
Corp. Christopher Raymond Chaulk will appear at Pembroke provincial court on Monday for a bail hearing. He is in custody at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre, having been moved from custody at CFB Petawawa earlier today.
The case is being pursued by a branch of military police called the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service, which is working in collaboration with CFB Petawawa military police and the Ontario Provincial Police.
Scheduled to be deployed to Afghanistan
Chaulk, a seven-year forces signal operator whose home base is in St. John's, was in Petawawa doing pre-deployment training ahead of going to Afghanistan. A deployment left from the base on May 6, but CFNIS spokesperson Maj. Paule Poulin said she did not have exact date as to when he was supposed to go.
The two sexual assaults last week took place on May 6 and May 8, sending two women to Pembroke General Hospital with unspecified injuries. Poulin said she could not release any details about the fall assaults as the matter is before the courts, but added all four women have been offered victim counselling and other support.
As all four alleged incidents took place within CFB Petawawa, jurisdiction lies solely with CFNIS. The military laid the charges and will oversee the proceedings going through the court.
Poulin did not have further information about Chaulk's education or previous stations.
