(Dreamstime)

By Sheldon Spackman

November 2023 Incident

Jury trial scheduled for officer accused of breach of trust

Oct 10, 2025 | 10:27 AM

A jury trial has been scheduled for a local Mountie accused of accessing images on a detained person’s phone and transmitting them without consent.

Cst. Matthew Villeneuve, 33, of the Red Deer RCMP detachment, is scheduled for a jury trial in Red Deer Court of King’s Bench from March 8-19, 2027.

It was on Nov. 28, 2023, when the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) says it was directed to investigate a Red Deer RCMP officer following the incident, which occurred on Nov. 23, 2023, at the Red Deer Hospital while the person was receiving treatment.

According to ASIRT, evidence gathered during their investigation provided reasonable grounds to believe offences had been committed. As required by the Police Act, ASIRT says the investigation was forwarded to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS) to determine whether the evidence met the standard for prosecution.

Following a review of the investigation and having been advised by the ACPS that the evidence met their standard for prosecution, executive director Michael Ewenson, K.C., determined that the officer involved should be charged.

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On Dec. 12, 2024, Cst. Matthew Villeneuve was charged with one count of breach of trust by public officer, and one count of publication of an intimate image without consent. ASIRT says he was released on an undertaking.

An Alberta RCMP spokesperson confirms Const. Villeneuve’s current duty status remains suspended with pay.

As this matter is now before the courts, ASIRT says no further information will be released.

ASIRT’s mandate is to effectively, independently and objectively investigate incidents involving Alberta’s police that have resulted in serious injury or death to any person, as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct.

Related: Red Deer RCMP officer charged with breach of trust and transferring intimate images without consent