B.C. student landlord accused of sexual assault
CBC News
Posted: Feb 6, 2012 1:49 PM PT
Last Updated: Feb 6, 2012 9:28 PM PT
A Vancouver man is facing four charges of sexual assault for incidents involving English as a second language students who sublet rooms from him.
David Roland Messina, 40, is already known to police, having pleaded guilty in 2008 to uttering a forged document relating to the purchase of a $75,000 Dodge Viper sports car, which he claimed was a gift.
Then in 2009, a CBC investigation revealed Messina was leasing a downtown apartment, then subletting it to five students from Japan and Korea without paying the rent. He was charged with fraud, but the charges were later stayed.
Const. Lindsey Houghton said Vancouver police believe Messina continues to target vulnerable students.
"It appears from our investigation he's using this subletting scam to perhaps commit sexual assaults against ESL students," said Houghton.
Messina was arrested over the weekend and was scheduled to make his first court appearance on Monday.
The VPD's sex crimes unit is asking for any other possible victims to come forward.
"We know ESL students and foreign exchange students, people who come to our country to learn English, may or may not be familiar with how our criminal justice system works, and may be hesitant to phone police, but we urge you, in any cases like this to please contact us," said Const. Houghton.
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