A high-ranking military member has been charged with seven counts of voyeurism following the alleged discovery of a video recording device in a women’s washroom at a Canadian Forces facility last summer.
The Canadian Forces said Friday that the charges are in connection with “alleged incidents of video recording” of members of the Department of National Defence and the armed forces between May 2012 and June 2016 at Denison Armoury near Downsview Park.
Master Warrant Officer Mardie Reyes, who had been on contract as a sergeant major of the 4th Canadian Division Headquarters at the time, has been off the job since February after being arrested in October, a spokesman for 4th Canadian Division said.
The sergeant major, the most senior title among non-commissioned members of a unit, is responsible for dress, deportment and discipline of members.
Reyes had been in the managerial position since January of 2014, reporting to the commander of 4th Canadian Division Headquarters.
In addition to his contract at 4th Canadian Division, Reyes was a full-time reserve forces member with the title of regimental sergeant major with 7th Toronto Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery.
His career in the Canadian military goes back 26 years, with two deployments to Afghanistan and another to Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan.
His rank, master warrant officer, is the second highest in the military’s non-commissioned member structure.
Reyes was charged on Friday under the criminal code by the commanding officer of 7th Toronto Regiment. The alleged offences are punishable under the National Defence Act. The forces said the case is proceeding in the military justice system, though a court date has not been set.
The military says it takes all reports of sexual misconduct by its members very seriously.
“Any form of inappropriate sexual behaviour is a threat to the morale and operational readiness of the CAF and is inconsistent with the values of the profession of arms,” Lieutenant-Colonel Ryan Smid, commanding officer of the 7th Toronto Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, said in a statement to the media.
“Eliminating harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour within our ranks remains a top priority.”
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