Police looking for more victims and witnesses of man accused of sexual abuse at church

A Coquitlam man is facing six allegations of historical sexual abuse involving three teenage boys and one young man. The suspect has been identified as Raymond Howard Gaglardi who is Caucasian, slim, has grey hair that may have been dyed brown, and is 165 cm and 154 lbs.

Corporal Michael McLaughlin with Coquitlam RCMP says - “It takes tremendous courage for adult men to come forward about abuse that happened when they were young, In order to further this investigation, and protect any future victims, it’s important that we speak to others who may have been keeping this difficult secret.”

Coquitlam RCMP began the investigation in December of 2019. It has led to charghing the 75-year-old Raymond Howard Gaglardi with four counts of sexual assault and two counts of sexual exploitation.

Gaglardi also went by the name ‘Doctor Ray Gaglardi’ and offered therapy sessions to young people that he met primarily through their parents at church. The alleged offences happened over a span of more than a decade between 1993 and 2007 in Gaglardi’s home in Coquitlam.

Gaglardi has been associated to multiple churches in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam including Hillside Community Church, Austin Avenue Chapel and Evergreen Evangelical. Corporal McLaughlin says “Church leaders have done everything they can to help police and make sure their parishioners are safe. As we expand the investigation, we must remind people that the timeframe, locations, and gender of the victims may also expand”.

Gaglardi has been arrested and released with conditions including not to be alone with anyone under 18 unless he is in public and not to be alone with anyone under 18 unless that person’s parents are aware of these charges.

Photo courtesy of Coquitlam RCMP.