Former P.E.I. sheriff, TV host pleads not guilty to sex-related charges
William Acorn faces a total of 12 charges, including 10 sex-related allegations
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- On Monday, March 29 2021, the Crown stayed 11 charges against Bill Acorn.
- This included 10 sex-related charges and one charge of making a threat.
- All charges were related to the same complainant. Other charges were stayed earlier.
- Acorn pleaded guilty to one charge: unsafe storage of a gun. He was fined $300.
William Vernon Acorn, 84, of Charlottetown has pleaded not guilty to 12 charges against him, including 10 sex-related allegations.
Acorn appeared in P.E.I. Supreme Court Tuesday afternoon.
The 10 sex-related charges include sexual assault, touching for sexual purposes, and invitation to sexual touching.
The charges are dated from 2009 to 2014 and are all connected to one alleged victim, who was under the age of 16 at the time.
Five other charges previously laid against Acorn were stayed during an earlier hearing in provincial court.
Acorn is also accused of uttering a death threat to the same person.
In addition, Acorn faces one charge of careless storage of a firearm — a Smith and Wesson revolver.
Acorn was charged last year after an investigation by the major crime unit of Charlottetown police.
He is known for hosting a cable TV show, Bill's Country Jamboree, that ran for 25 years. He worked as a deputy sheriff in the provincial courts on P.E.I. until he retired.
He also re-elected Tuesday to have his case heard by a P.E.I. Supreme Court judge, rather than a jury.
Acorn's next court date is set for Nov. 10.
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With files from Brian Higgins