André Boisclair presented himself to a police station on Friday morning in Montreal after a warrant was issued for his arrest on sex assault charges.
The former Parti Québécois leader and cabinet minister donned a face mask while silently heading into the building. Images show him being flanked by reporters and photographers. He emerged from the station about three hours later.
Boisclair, 54, is facing charges that he used a weapon to commit sexual assault six years ago. The alleged incident took place on Jan. 14, 2014 and involved a second person.
A Quebec court judge issued an arrest warrant for Boisclair earlier this week. Before appearing in court to be formally charged, he was asked to present himself at a police station.
He is facing two charges, which carry a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.
Boisclair, who was first elected as a Montreal MNA at the age of 23 in 1989, quickly rose through the PQ’s ranks.
The former political star held various cabinet positions in both the Bernard Landry and Lucien Bouchard governments before securing the party’s top job in 2005.
After stepping down from the party in 2007, Boisclair served as Quebec’s delegate general in New York from 2012 to 2013.
In 2016, Boisclair became president of the Urban Development Institute of Quebec. The organization confirmed Thursday that he has stepped down.
— With files from the Canadian Press