Youth care worker charged with sex assault and production of child pornography

A child and youth care worker in Maple Ridge has been put on unpaid leave after being charged with sexual assault with a weapon and various child pornography offences.

Daniel Jon Olson, 52, has been charged in connection with offences police say occurred between 2008 and 2019, including one count of possessing child pornography, one count of making child pornography, eight counts of sexual interference and two counts of sexual assault with a weapon.

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Sylvia Russell, Superintendent of Schools, called the charges “very serious and deeply disturbing.”

In a letter to parents and guardians, she said Olson worked in a number of elementary and secondary schools in the region over the course of his employment.

“While we have no first-hand knowledge about the charges, we are informing all our families out of an abundance of caution so that parents/guardians can direct any information they may have about this matter directly to the Ridge Meadows RCMP,” she wrote.

“I want to assure you that the safety and well-being of our students is our number one priority; as such, Mr. Olson has been on unpaid leave since the time the school district was notified of his arrest.”

Olson has been released on bail and is due to appear in court on April 2.

Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to call Cst. Tana Goode at 604-467-7681 or Cpl. Joshua Roda at 604-476-6902 with the Ridge Meadow Serious Crimes Unit.