North Vancouver man charged with luring a child and sexual touching

WATCH: A 27-year-old North Vancouver resident who worked with the sea cadets is accused of luring a girl under the age of 16. Catherine Urquhart reports.

Surrey RCMP is warning the public of a North Vancouver man who was arrested and charged with one count of luring a child and one count of invitation to sexual touching in December 2014.

According to police, Victor Overfield volunteered with the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets in North Vancouver from 2007 to 2012 and with the Navy League Cadets in Vancouver from 2012 until his arrest in 2014.

In a statement from the Navy League of Canada regarding Overfield, the “matter is currently under active investigation, we are not in a position to comment on the specifics of this case. The Navy League of Canada has been cooperating fully with the RCMP in this investigation and the individual in question has been suspended from the Navy League pending the outcome of the investigation and has been directed to refrain from contacting cadets.”

Volunteers in the cadet program go through a screening; which includes a personal background check, interviews and a probationary period, Maritime Affairs and Communications Coordinator Andrew Warden said in a statement. One part of their screening process, the Vulnerable Sector Screening, is an enhanced police check which includes any known information concerning risk behaviours.

The Navy League also has a cadet safety policy; which prohibits one-on-one contact with volunteers and cadets, Warden said, and they will continue to be vigilant in protecting the youth in their programs.

Overfield has been released from custody with conditions that include no contact with his victim and any other young persons.

Anyone with more information regarding Overfield is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP.