By Sheldon Spackman

September 2025

Second jury trial scheduled for Ponoka man accused of human trafficking and sexual assault

Jul 3, 2024 | 10:57 AM

A second jury trial has now been scheduled for a Ponoka man accused of human trafficking and sexual assault.

Christopher Becks, 38, is scheduled for a second jury trial in Wetaskiwin Court of King’s Bench from Sept. 8-12, 2025. He is also scheduled for another jury trial in Edmonton Court of King’s Bench from May 12-16, 2025.

Becks is charged with trafficking in persons, material benefit, advertise sexual services, sexual assault, overcoming resistance to commission of offence, and uttering threats to cause death, in his Edmonton jury trial.

Those charges are in addition to counts of trafficking in young persons, procuring, material benefit from sexual services, advertise sexual services, and publication of an intimate image without consent.

Becks is scheduled for arraignment on those charges in Edmonton Court of King’s Bench on July 19, 2024, following a preliminary hearing that was held in April.

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Becks, meantime, is charged with sexual assault, and two counts of fail to comply with release conditions on his Wetaskiwin matters. Those alleged offences took place between Sept. 19-Oct. 13, 2023, in Ponoka.

It was in October 2022, when ALERT Human Trafficking received information that a man was targeting vulnerable women, many with no fixed address, in the Edmonton area.

“It’s our understanding that this man was actively searching out women who were struggling with addiction. He would lure these women to hotels by offering drugs, food, and a place to stay, then exploit them and force them into the sex trade, even taking them to other areas of the province,” said Staff Sgt. Christopher Hayes, ALERT Human Trafficking, at the time of Becks’ arrest.

On December 20, 2022, officials with ALERT say a search warrant was executed at a home in the Ottewell neighbourhood. The Edmonton Police Service assisted in the search warrant and Becks was arrested.

“We believe that Becks has exploited more than a dozen women and we are asking these women to come forward. There’s a community of these women that he targets, and these women may better recognize him by the name ‘Bear’. We are here to help, but there’s only so much we can do with the intelligence we have collected thus far,” Hayes added, at the time of Becks’ arrest.

ALERT Human Trafficking unit is looking to identify and speak with additional victims and witnesses. Anyone with information about this investigation is encouraged to call the Edmonton Police Service or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Related: Jury trial scheduled for Ponoka man accused of human trafficking and sexual assault

Related: Preliminary hearing scheduled for Ponoka man accused of human trafficking and sexual assault

Related: Ponoka man ordered to stand trial in alleged human trafficking and sexual assault case

Related: Preliminary hearing scheduled for Ponoka man accused of human trafficking

Related: ALERT charges Ponoka man with human trafficking and sexual assault related charges

(With files from Alessia Proietti)

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