Markus Hicks faces 63 more sexual violence charges
Teacher, coach has 150 charges, many of them against youths
Police have laid 63 new charges of sexual violence against St. John’s-area high school teacher and volleyball coach Markus Hicks, saying their investigation has uncovered tens of thousands of images and videos suggesting he was posing as other people online for 15 years.
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says Hicks used more than two dozen fake identities and social media accounts across multiple platforms, including Snapchat, Facebook, MSN Messenger, Tinder, Grindr, Skype, Bereal and Fetlife, to communicate with people across the province and arrange sexual acts while keeping his own identity hidden. Police uncovered two addresses linked to Hicks and the investigation: one on Trails End Drive
in Paradise, and the other on Bullocks Town Road in Torbay.
Hicks’ alleged usernames include: Isabella Ricci (bellaricci4), Corrine Smith (smittycor15), Maria Winchester, Brittany Campbell, Chloe Stead, Bradol15, Ssnyder15, Curious to Try, Straight-ish, Nchops153, Hotandcurious15, Zack1kcaz, Noah_smith15, Krista.young5, K.robets15, kennyryan14, Kth3935, Stephanie.burton7,
S.matthews15, Thisismyname1234yeah, Corrinewhquhu, Twinkyscot, allan.junior41, and paul_michaels@hotmail.co.uk.
He has been in custody since his arrest last September and his charges have grown as the RNC investigation continues. He now faces 150 charges related to 24 complainants, many of them youth, including sexual assault, child pornography offences, child luring, sexual exploitation, wearing a disguise with the intent to commit a crime, breach of trust by a public officer and others.
Police laid the newest charges against Hicks, 33, on Tuesday. He is scheduled to make his next court appearance by video from the prison in Bishop’s Falls on March 13.
The Crown is proceeding by way of indictment, the most serious route of prosecution, with lengthier prison sentences if Hicks is eventually convicted. He has not yet entered a plea on any of his charges.
His lawyers, Jason Edwards and Ellen O’gorman, told the court in February they were waiting on a package of evidence in the case, including a USB drive containing material investigators retrieved from mobile phones connected to the case. Once the Crown forwarded the package to the defence lawyers, they requested time to review the files with Hicks.
Edwards said he hadn’t yet spoken with his client about next steps in the legal process, since he wanted to see the evidence first.
The RNC has established a specific email address — trust@rnc.gov.nl.ca — to accept tips related to their investigation of Hicks. Police say their approach prioritizes the safety and well-being of those coming forward, who can also connect with traumainformed investigators reached by calling 729-8000 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS.