East Algoma OPP – Charges laid after sexual assault reported

On August 31, 2026, police arrested a person in Elliot Lake after a reported sexual assault at a retail store.

On August 26, 2026, the East Algoma Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received a sexual assault call. The complainant reported that their young child was at a Hillside Drive South retail store a few days prior when an employee interacted with the child inappropriately. After a thorough investigation, police arrested and charged the employee.

Mark Christopher VANDIEPEN, 50-years-old, from Elliot Lake, was charged with:

• Sexual Assault on a person under 16 years of age
• Sexual Interference

The accused appeared before the Ontario Court of Justice Bail Court in Blind River on September 1, 2026, but was later released.

Because the accused was a retail store employee and had numerous interactions with the public, police are requesting anyone who may have additional information or believes that they were a victim of similar circumstance to contact East Algoma OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submit information online at: www.sudburycrimestoppers.com

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OPP

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) provide policing services throughout Ontario. Our officers are responsible for policing over one million square kilometres of land and waterways. They provide frontline policing services to more than 320 Ontario municipalities and patrol over 126,000 kilometres of provincial roadways.

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