British Columbia

Vancouver police call out to sex victims

Vancouver police have taken the extraordinary step of issuing a public plea for victims of a man called Martin Tremblay.

Vancouver police have taken the extraordinary step of issuing a public plea for victims of a man called Martin Tremblay.

Tremblay is currently facing four counts of trafficking cocaine and one charge of possession of cocaine for the purposes of trafficking, but has a criminal record for plying teenage aboriginal girls with alcohol and drugs and then sexually assaulting them.

Police believe there are more victims and they're asking them to come forward in an effort to keep Tremblay in jail.

Tremblay, 45, was convicted of five counts of sexual assault in 2002 and sentenced to 14 months after he was found guilty of plying five aboriginal teenaged girls with drugs and alcohol and then videotaping his sex acts with them after they passed out.

In March 2010, Tremblay was linked to two teenaged girls who died within hours of each other.

Kayla LaLonde, 16, and Martha Hernandez, 17, had partied at Tremblay's home the night before they died as a result of overdosing on a combination of drugs and alcohol.

Lalonde was found dead on a Burnaby street after witnesses said she had been dumped from a van.

Hernandez died later after being rushed by ambulance from Tremblay's Richmond home.

No charges have been laid in connection with the girls' deaths.

More charges in alleged terror ring

Police also said charges have been laid against 11 individuals for crimes targeting vulnerable people in the Downtown Eastside. In all, 48 charges have been laid including extortion, sexual assault, forcible confinement and assault with a weapon

VPD officers made a number of seizures in connection with the alleged crimes. ((CBC))

Police said they're glad they've been able to take those charged off the street.

Now, the VPD is urging community members to come forward with their stories to help strengthen the evidence against the accused. 

Police said the charges indicate they won't stand for people targeting vulnerable women on the Downtown Eastside.