Parent recalls encounter with N.B. YouTuber, teacher arrested for sexual assault

A man who was charged with sexual assault and sexual interference in the Greater Moncton area is due to make a court appearance in Moncton, N.B., Friday.

In November, police in Fredericton arrested and charged 37-year-old Stephen Blackwood, after receiving reports of him allegedly videotaping children in a pool area.

In a news release issued Wednesday, the New Brunswick RCMP asked any victims of sexual assault or anyone who may have had contact with Blackwood to come forward.

RCMP spokesperson Hans Ouellette told CTV News on Thursday he’s been in touch with investigators in the Moncton area.

“They tell me they are getting calls so people are calling and people are interested in the story as you can imagine,” said Ouellette.

One week ago, Blackwood was charged with sexual assault and sexual interference after an alleged incident at a school in the Anglophone East School District in November, 2022.

In an email, district spokesperson Stephanie Patterson said they are aware of the situation and confirmed Blackwood worked as a supply teacher for one week in the fall.

"While we cannot comment due to privacy legislation, all staff must submit a criminal record/vulnerable sector background check prior to engagement,” said Patterson. “We continue to work with the RCMP on their ongoing investigation."

Blackwood also taught in Newfoundland and Labrador, in the St. John's region, from 2013 to 2022. Police there say they are aware of the investigation in New Brunswick.

YOUTUBE CHANNEL

In New Brunswick, police have received reports that Blackwood approached children over the past four years in the Shediac area, Moncton’s Magic Mountain, The Greater Moncton YMCA and the Dieppe Aquatic Centre and asked them appear on his YouTube channel, where he is known as “Blamzooka.”

His channel has more than 30,000 subscribers.

Ouellette said YouTube has its own regulations when it comes to what can't be posted online.

“As far as we can tell, there's nothing on the YouTube channel that is strictly illegal. If it was, YouTube would have shut that video down and possibly the site down as well,” said Ouellette.

Cortney London says she came in contact with the accused during a public swim with her children in Riverview, N.B., last November.

London became concerned when she allegedly saw Blackwood taking videos of children by the pool and she confronted him about it.

“He got back in the pool approached me and said, 'I'm sorry. I didn't realize I couldn't have my phone in the pool area,' at that point, I said things to him and I advised him it wasn't good for him to be recording children in the pool,” said London.

London posted her concerns on a community Facebook page to warn other parents.

“I had parents reaching out to me wanting to know if this was the [same] person. If this was his YouTube [channel],” she said. “I have parents now messaging me from Newfoundland, teachers and they just want everything to get linked together so it can be looked into further.”

Ouellette said RCMP wants anyone to know if they are a victim of sexual assault or misconduct they can contact the police.

“We want the parents to really speak to their kids because the kids may know him as ‘Blamzooka,’ they may know him as a substitute teacher,” said Ouellette. “We want parents to speak to their children to see what kind of interactions they had with him and there may be more victims out there.”

The investigation continues and police say more charges are possible.

With files from The Canadian Press