

Chris Herhalt, CP24.com





A 40-year-old Toronto man faces 21 charges after allegedly gaining the trust of two families over the past five years and subsequently sexually assaulting their children and threatening them if they reported the assaults.

Sex crimes investigators say that they became aware that the suspect befriended a Toronto family starting in Sept. 2015.

After gaining their trust, he started to act as a caregiver to their children.

Investigators allege he used this position to sexually assault their children several times.

On Oct. 5, 2017, he was arrested by officers from the Child and Youth Advocacy Centre.

After his arrest, investigators say they became aware of a separate instance where the same suspect befriended another family, gained their trust, and then sexually assaulted their children while they were under his care.

The offences in this instance allegedly occurred between May 2012 and Sept. 2014.

On Wednesday, the suspect was re-arrested and charged.

He has since been identified as Kevin Marsh.

He faces offences including four counts of assault, six counts of sexual assault, threatening bodily harm, six counts of sexual interference and two counts of invitation to sexual touching.

He is scheduled to appear next in court at Old City Hall on Nov. 16 at 10 a.m.