Innisfil Pride founder facing allegations of serious sexual offences
Jake Tucker founded Innisfil Pride and ran as an independent candidate for Barrie-Innisfil in the provincial election, and now Tucker is facing allegations of serious sexual offences.
Police arrested Tucker in Barrie in April for offences that allegedly happened between 2017 and 2021, including exploitation, profiting from sexual services, trafficking an individual, and assault.
"I've known Jake professionally for some time, and he is an upstanding citizen. These charges are false. They are completely false," said Tucker's defence lawyer Matthew Giesinger from inside his Bradford Street office in Barrie on Wednesday.
"Jake is very concerned about the charges, but at this stage, the only comment I can make is that he strenuously denies the allegations. There's absolutely no truth to them," Giesinger said.
The identity of the complainant is protected under a publication ban. Now Tucker's lawyer is seeking a publication ban for his client.
"Unfortunately, due to the publicity that these charges have brought, Jake Tucker has been experiencing fear in the community, and as such, he is seeking a common law publication band to cover himself so that no future information about these charges will be made public," the defence lawyer said.
According to court documents, the 35-year-old is accused of exploiting and exercising control, direction or influence over the movement of the complainant while financially benefitting from the alleged trafficking.
The matter returns to court later this month.
The allegations against the accused have not been tested in court.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.