Former Winnipeg teacher faces new charges involving underage girls

More charges against former educator A former Winnipeg school support worker is facing more sex crimes charges following a police investigation.

A former Winnipeg teacher who had been previously charged with voyeurism, sexual assault, and accessing child pornography is facing more charges related to a number of incidents throughout 2024.

Matthew James Mousseau, 37, was arrested and charged in October following an investigation by the internet child exploitation unit.

As police continued to investigate, officers found “sexually exploitive conversations” and images with young girls. Police said five girls between the ages of 12 and 17 were involved.

Three of the girls were mentored by Mousseau, while the fourth was from outside school.

Between January and September of this year, police detailed five incidents where the girls either asked for a ride or met Mousseau, and they would go to his home.

The first incident, a girl stayed at his house, and he took photos of her, police said.

During the second incident, police said he “secretly recorded” a video of a girl and “performed an indecent act” in it.

Between February and March, police said he groomed another girl who came to him for support. She went to his house on March 26, and he gave her cannabis and investigators said she was sexually assaulted.

The fourth incident happened sometime between July and August when a former student and another girl, who hasn’t been identified, were picked up by Mousseau and he bought them cannabis and alcohol, and then they consumed it at his house.

The final incident involved one of the previously mentioned girls. She was picked up, and they went to his house. Police said she was sexually assaulted while there.

Winnipeg police charged Mousseau on Dec. 17. He was charged with voyeurism, indecent exposure to a person under 16, luring a person under 18 by telecommunications, making, printing, publishing, or possessing child pornography for the purpose of publication, and supplying alcohol to a minor.

He is in custody, and the charges against him haven’t been proven in court.

Const. Dani McKinnon said incidents like this happen through the process of grooming.

“So in this case, this individual was a teacher/mentor to the surviving females of this scenario. Built trust, built rapport, and sometimes the people that are on the other end of this don’t even realize that they are being badly manipulated. There are times when they get a sense that the relationship is legitimate, and the age difference doesn’t matter. That’s absolutely incorrect,” said McKinnon.

She noted it’s important that kids and parents speak about boundaries when it comes to someone who is in a position of trust—from teachers to coaches.

“They shouldn’t be driving them, picking them up, spending alone time with them. Those are things that you need to talk about.”

Mousseau is also facing charges in relation to a sexually exploitative relationship with a former student between May 2019 and August 2020, as well as voyeurism and child pornography charges in October after multiple videos were found from inside the family change room at the Seven Oaks Pool.