THUNDER BAY -- Thunder Bay Police have charged a Lakehead University professor with sexual assault, stemming from a pair of incidents that allegedly took place on Jan. 28 and Jan. 29.
Police, in a release issued on Wednesday morning, confirmed the alleged victim is a student at the Thunder Bay school, saying they were notified of the incidents on Feb. 1 and immediately began an investigation.
Han Chen, 57, has been charged with two counts of sexual assault. Chen is still listed as a professor on the university website, in the department of natural resources management. Lakehead University have declined to comment on whether or not Chen is still a member of the school's faculty or if any disciplinary action has been taken.
Police say their major crimes unit is involved in the ongoing investigation.
The accused was released with conditions and is expected to appear in court on March 30. The allegations have not been proven in a court of law.
The full police release can be seen below:
NEWS RELEASE
THUNDER BAY POLICE SERVICE
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Police have arrested and charged a Thunder Bay man amid an ongoing investigation involving incidents of sexual assault.
At the time of the incidents the accused was a professor at Lakehead University and the victim a student. Two incidents occurred on Jan. 28 and Jan. 29, 2021 while the victim was seeking academic assistance from the accused.
The Thunder Bay Police Service was made aware of the incidents and subsequently began an investigation on Feb. 1, 2021.
An investigation by members of the Uniform Patrol Branch led to accused being arrested and charged. Members of the TBPS’s Major Crimes Unit are now involved in the continued investigation.
Han CHEN, 57, of Thunder Bay, is charged with Sexual Assault x 2.
He was released with conditions and a future appearance date of March 30, 2021.
The investigation remains ongoing.
If you have any information that could assist investigators, please call police at 684-1200 or provide tips through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, online at www.p3tips.com.
