Mountie facing sex-crime charge to stand trial in 2026

RCMP Cpl.Jeremy Bastarache, facinga charge alleging he made arrangements with a person for the purpose of facilitating a sexual offence toward someone he believed to be under 16 years of age, will stand trial in February 2026.

His case returned to Moncton provincial court on Thursday.He haspleaded not guilty to the charge.His trial was scheduled for Feb. 9 and 10, 2026.

RCMP have previously said that Bastarache has been suspended with pay.

The alleged offence happened in the Shediac areabetween April 24 and 29. The charge waslaid June 10.

An affidavit in the court file saysBastarache, 36,hasrecently transferredfrom New Brunswick to work in Kinngait, a communityof about 1,400 people inNunavut.

The affidavitfrom RCMP Cpl. Jean-Sebastien Marcottelays out what led to Bastarache's arrest on June 9 at the Ottawa airport.

It saysthe RCMP's Internet Child Exploitation unit received a referral from Australianfederal police on May 27, 2024.

The referral said Australian police received a report from an online dating company that one of its users "attempted to procure an underage female for child abuse purposes."

Defence lawyer Nathan Gorhampreviously told reporters thatBastarachewas looking forward to having his day in court and was anxious for the process to unfold.