A Canadian Armed Forces soldier who led the charge against the wildfires in northern Saskatchewan earlier this month has now been charged with a number of sex-related offenses.

Lieutenant-Colonel Mason Stalker, 40, has been charged with three counts of sexual assault, four counts of sexual exploitation, one count of sexual interference, one count of invitation to sexual touching, and one count of breach of trust by a public officer.

The charges date back to alleged offences that occurred between 1998 and 2007 when Stalker was involved with a local army cadet corps as a mentor.

“These are serious and significant charges under the Criminal Code of Canada,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Bolduc, commanding officer of the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service, in a written release.

“Regardless of a member’s rank and role in the Canadian Armed Forces, the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service works diligently and independently from the Canadian Armed Forces chain of command to protect individuals from those who violate the law.”

More recently, Stalker has been the commanding officer of the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry’s immediate response unit in Edmonton. His unit was brought into Prince Albert earlier in July to help battle the wildfire that forced thousands of people out of their homes.

The investigation into the charges continues.