A 32-year-old man from Grande Prairie, Alta., is facing multiple charges stemming from a series of alleged sexual offences this year.
Joseph Kidd has more than a dozen charges following RCMP investigations between April and June 2026. The four alleged victims range in age from 12 to 18 years old.
Police say some of the incidents happened while Kidd had been conditionally released from custody.
Grande Prairie RCMP Supt. Mark MacDougald said during a news conference Thursday that a 14-year-old girl entered the local detachment on April 17 alleging sexual assault.
“The victim was from B.C., and said that she met Kidd via social media,” MacDougald said.
“Kidd drove to B.C. to pick her up and drove her back to his residence in Grande Prairie. She was there for approximately one week, and was able to leave the residence after Kidd left to go to work,” MacDougald said.
Kidd was charged with sexual assault, sexual interference, forcible confinement, assault while choking and two charges of unsafe storage of a firearm following Grade Prairie RCMP’s investigation into the matter.
He was released on April 30 on several conditions.
Less than two weeks after his release, police responded to a 911 call at Kidd’s residence. Again he was arrested and charged, this time for alleged offences involving an 18-year-old woman from Lloydminster.
The RCMP’s investigation found Kidd had driven to Lloydminster to pick up the women before driving together to his residence in Grande Prairie.
MacDougald said Kidd allegedly assaulted the woman at his residence as she refused to engage in sexual acts with him.
Kidd was charged with assault, sexual assault and assault while choking, along with three counts of failing to comply with a release order.
He was released again on June 1 with several conditions and a $7,500 cash bail.
More minors come forward
MacDougald said a 15-year-old girl showed up to the Grande Prairie RCMP detachment on June 18 to report that Kidd has been following her.
Police say the girl alleged Kidd offered her alcohol if she got into his vehicle.
The alleged victim said she first met Kidd on June 4. She alleges other incidents happened between June 4 and 18.
“On the first occasion, Kidd drove the victim to his residence where she was sexually assaulted before leaving,” MacDougald said.
Kidd was charged with criminal harassment, sexual interference, sexual assault and failure to comply with release conditions.
On that same day, MacDougald said a woman called 911 reporting that someone driving a yellow convertible tried to lure her 12-year-old daughter into their car.
MacDougald said police found Kidd in a vehicle matching the description near the scene.
Kidd was charged with abduction of a person under the age of 14 and failure to comply with release conditions. He was again remanded into police custody and appeared in court June 22.
Kidd’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 2.
Released on bail twice
Legal experts say bail decisions require judges to balance public safety with the constitutional presumption of innocence.
Kathryn Quinlan, a criminal defence lawyer and vice-president of the Criminal Trial Lawyers’ Association, said judges consider three main factors during a bail hearing: whether an accused is likely to attend court, if they pose a risk to public safety and will comply with any orders, and whether releasing them would maintain public confidence in the administration of justice.
She said all three factors come into play when the court needs to balance between the presumption of innocence of the accused and public safety.
“Society has an interest in an individual not being incarcerated when they’re presumed innocent so long as the public can be kept safe, with appropriate conditions,” Quinlan said in an interview with CBC.
Quinlan also noted that although this case is more of an anomaly because the Kidd allegedly breached release conditions, many people charged with serious sexual offences are released on bail pending trial.
“The vast majority of offenders are accused people charged with offences of that nature, have no criminal history before the courts whatsoever,” she said. “Release is very frequently granted, and very frequently individuals arrive at their trial without ever having violated the conditions of their release.”
Searching for other victims
Police do not have evidence to indicate additional victims, but believe it’s possible there are others, MacDougald said.
RCMP did not specify what social media platforms he was active on.
The Grande Prairie RCMP is working with the Grande Prairie Police Service on this case, MacDougald said.
“We are bringing the information public today through [the media] to provide that piece to the public in case there are other victims out there that previously may have been uncomfortable coming forward,” he said.
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