Police in the North Okanagan took the unusual step of issuing a public warning on Wednesday afternoon, telling people involved in the sex trade not to visit the Salmon River Road area near Salmon Arm.
RCMP are reminding the public that Curtis Wayne Sagmoen — who has been convicted in three cases where the victims worked as escorts — lives in the area and is under a probation order not to have contact with people who work in the sex trade.
Police also took the unusual step of releasing a picture of Sagmoen “in the interest of safety.”
“We are asking anyone who receives a request for sex-related services in the area of Salmon River Road not to attended the area and contact police immediately,” Const. Chris Terleski said in a statement released Wednesday afternoon.
Terleski said the warning is meant to help people who are protected by the court-ordered probation condition take steps to protect themselves.
The warning comes after police received a report about a suspicious vehicle parked on Salmon River Road last Thursday.
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“Our investigation has determined the people in the vehicle were connected to the sex trade and their services were requested in the area,” Terleski said.
Sagmoen’s criminal history involves victimizing people working in the sex trade.
In June, Sagmoen was sentenced to time served plus three years of probation for hitting a woman with a quad in 2017.
The assault with the quad occurred after Sagmoen invited the victim to a rural area to work as an escort.
Sagmoen has also been convicted in two other cases involving victims working as escorts.
In one of those cases, involving a different victim, Sagmoen was wearing a disguise and brandishing a shotgun when he jumped out of the bushes, frightening the escort who he had invited to meet him and causing her to flee in fear.
In a third case, Sagmoen was convicted of assault.
In 2017, the remains of 18-year-old Traci Genereaux were found on Sagmoen’s family farm on Salmon River Road.
The discovery was made during a large-scale search of the property months after Genereaux went missing from Vernon.
No one has been charged in relation to her death. However, police confirmed Wednesday that investigation is still ongoing.
RCMP said anyone with information regarding Genereaux’s death should call the Southeast District Major Crime Unit at 1-877-987-8477.
– with files from Rumina Daya Jules Knox
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