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New Westminster man pleads guilty to two sexual offences involving youth

On Tuesday, Marco Leite Cerquinho pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual interference involving youth victims

New Westminster Police Department
File photo of a New Westminster Police Department officer. Photo by Submitted /NWPD

A New Westminster man who was the subject of a public warning about sexual offences against youth two years ago has pleaded guilty to two charges.

The New Westminster Police Department’s major crime unit issued a plea for additional victims in May 2021 after one youth came forward about having been exploited that month.

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A total of three victims eventually identified themselves and, on Tuesday, Marco Leite Cerquinho pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual interference involving youth victims.

Media reports from 2021 indicate Cerquinho gained access to his victims as a volunteer youth curling coach in the community.

He had been released under multiple conditions including having no contact with the victims and not being with anyone under age 16 unsupervised.

“The New Westminster Police Department victim assistance unit is always available to those who come forward to tell their story,” said Sgt. Andrew Leaver in a news release Thursday. “We take sexual offence investigations extremely seriously and we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that suspects who engage in these types of crimes are held to account before our justice system.”

Cerquinho will be sentenced in November.

Anyone with information, or who may have been a victim of a similar offence, can call the major crime unit at 604-529-2430.

jruttle@postmedia.com

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