Male charged with sex offences back in custody after re-arrest for breaching release conditions

UPDATE JANUARY 14: 

Lethbridge Police re-arrested and charged an accused sex offender for breaching the conditions of a release order approximately half an hour after his release from custody.

Skye Atoa, the subject of a previous police media release, who is facing charges of sexual assault, sexual exploitation and human trafficking, was granted bail and released from custody Tuesday afternoon.

Upon his release, Atoa was required to go to a court-ordered residence but after being dropped off at the location he made no attempt to comply with the requirements and instead proceeded to a store. 

Through proactive investigation, police observed the subject in the store’s perfume aisle in very close proximity to a young female and he was immediately arrested.

In addition to his previous charges, Atoa is now facing a further count of failing to comply with release order conditions. Following a Judicial Interim Release hearing, he was remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on the new charge January 15.

Police are attempting to identify the female witness who was nearby at the time of the subject’s arrest. She is described as having a darker complexion, with long, dark curly hair parted in the middle. She was wearing a black top, dark blue pants and carrying a small, white shopping bag. 

The witness is asked to contact police at 403-328-4444 and reference file 25059360.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lethbridge Police have charged a 50-year-old male with unlawful confinement, sexual exploitation and human trafficking in connection with multiple incidents where vulnerable girls were targeted and sexually assaulted. 

On December 19, police responded to a report that a 14-year-old girl was being held in an apartment along the 500 block of 8 Street South. Upon arrival, a male answered the door and the girl was located inside in medical distress. The victim was transported to hospital. 

The male was later arrested without incident and following the execution of a search warrant, two additional girls aged 15 and 16, were found inside the unit. 

The 14-year-old girl reported that she had been forcibly confined and repeatedly sexually assaulted by the male and other men over a three-day period. During the assaults, she was also forced to consume drugs. The 15-year-old and 16-year-old were forcibly confined to the apartment for several hours, during which time the male exposed himself. 

Skye Atoa, 50, of Lethbridge, is charged with trafficking of a person under 18, sexual assault of a child under 16, sexual interference, obtaining sexual services of a child for consideration, indecent exposure to a child under 16, sexual counsel of a child and three counts of unlawful confinement. 

In addition, Atoa is also charged in connection with a previous sexual assault in October 2025, where a 24-year-old vulnerable female was sexually assaulted at his residence. In that case, Atoa is charged with sexual assault and obtaining for consideration sexual services/communicating for the purpose of sexual services.

Atoa, who has been in custody since his arrest in mid-December, was granted bail following a hearing in court Monday. He is anticipated to be released from custody today with numerous conditions. His next court appearance is February 2.

Based on the investigation and evidence to date, police believe there may be additional, unidentified victims. As part of the ongoing investigation, police are releasing Atoa’s photograph in an effort to encourage unidentified victims, who may not know him by name or many only know him by an alias, to come forward.

Anyone who has been victimized, or has further information that may assist investigators, is asked to call police at 403-328-4444 and reference file 25059360.

Anonymous online tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at www.p3tips.com or by calling 1-800-222-8477.

The investigation is ongoing.