In 2018, two females, aged 19 and 25, came forward to report they were sexually assaulted by Ford, an instructor at the ATA Martial Arts School in Edmonton’s west end. During several classes and individual training sessions, the females reported experiencing sexually motivated touching from Ford that was not consistent with martial arts training. In addition to teaching at the school, ATA Martial Arts has been owned and operated by Ford since 2003.
“The complainants reported that, due to Ford's position of authority at the school, they felt pressured into situations that they were not comfortable with,” says Acting Staff Sgt. Richard Windover with the EPS West Division Criminal Investigations Section.
“We believe that others may have information that would assist the investigation and encourage them to contact us.”
On Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, Kevin Ford, 47, was arrested and charged with sexual exploitation and sexual assault(x2).
In the interest of public safety, police are releasing a photo of Ford and are encouraging any additional complainants or witnesses to come forward. The Edmonton Police Service can be contacted at 780-423-4567or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.p3tips.com/250.
Kevin Ford, 47