B.C. Liberal membership chair and former mayor faces sex assault charges

BURNS LAKE, B.C. – The former mayor of Burns Lake, B.C., and membership chair of the provincial Liberal party has been charged with numerous counts of sexual assault and related offences.

RCMP say Luke Strimbold is facing the charges for allegations that occurred in 2016 and police are investigating the possibility that there are more alleged victims.

The B.C. Liberals say they became aware of the matter Friday via social media, and Strimbold has now resigned as membership chair and as a member of the party.

Mounties are seeking the public’s help in finding other alleged victims and witnesses, and asking anyone with information to contact the Burns Lake detachment.

Strimbold is 28 years old and was the youngest mayor ever to be elected in the province in 2011, when he was 21.

He was re-elected in the small central B.C. community in 2014, but resigned in September 2016, saying he wanted to further his education and spend more time with his family.