Masterpiece Southland Meadows retirement and assisted living facility. (Masterpeice Retirement Living)

By Regan Tate, Eli J. Ridder

‘Shaken our whole community’: 64-year-old man charged with sexual assault of assisted living facility residents

Dec 14, 2023 | 8:50 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A man who was employed at an assisted living facility in Medicine Hat is accused of sexually assaulting four residents.

The Medicine Hat Police Service said Wednesday that 64-year-old Asim Omerovic has been charged with four counts of sexual assault and being unlawfully in a dwelling unit.

The charges stem from an investigation that began back in September of this year, police said.

According to police, they received two separate reports of alleged sexual assault on residents of the Masterpiece Southlands Meadows Retirement and Assisted Living Facility.

During the course of the investigation, two further alleged incidents of sexual assault were uncovered.

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The charges have not been proven in court at this time.

Masterpiece president and CEO Tim Garforth-Bles in a public statement said the impact of the alleged assaults hit hard.

“The actions of this individual have shaken our whole community, and our hearts are with the affected residents and their families during this difficult time,” Garforth-Bles said.

READ THE FULL STATEMENT

“This was the first-ever such incident in our community, and we are providing support services, counseling, and additional resources to assist all those affected by the incident,” he added.

Our partner, Alberta Health Services, has been extremely supportive on the ground and at the highest level.”

‘RESIDENT SOUNDED THE ALARM’

Garforth-Bles said the police investigation included a former maintenance employee.

The employee allegedly “entered a resident’s room under false pretenses and made inappropriate contact with the resident’s upper body,” according to Garforth-Bles.

The resident pressed her pendant to sound the alarm and nursing staff intervened immediately, according to the statement.

Police arrested the alleged assailant and laid charges for sexual assault.

Masterpiece fired the employee, Garforth-Bless said.

A restraining order was laid against the suspect to prevent the ex-employee from coming near the facility in the future, Garforth-Bles said.

“Since the individual’s arrest, three other residents have bravely come forward with allegations of similar inappropriate physical contact by the same individual,” Garforth-Bles said.

“The individual had no prior criminal record and was fully prescreened by Masterpiece, including a ‘vulnerable sector’ check through the MHPS and reference checks from another care facility,” he added in the public statement.

“He was hired as an occasional employee and came to Masterpiece this year to fill in when others were on vacation or off sick.”

INVESTIGATION ONGOING

Masterpiece officials said they did not previously publicly address this investigation at the request of the police.

Police say they received full cooperation from facility adminstration throughout the investigation.

Omerovic has been released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 10.

The investigation is still on-going and police are asking any additional complaints or information to contact them at 403-529-8481.