Atoa remains in custody, one trial date set

By Lethbridge Herald on February 3, 2026.

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman

Lethbridge Herald

After pleading not guilty to all charges last week, Skye Atoa’s case was back in court Monday morning, where his appearance was waved by his lawyer Richard Muenz. 

A trial date for the matters related to an incident that took place in October 2025, which were laid in December 2025 once Atoa was arrested has been set, while a trial date for charges related to said arrest have yet to be set. 

As Atoa is charged with offences from various incidents, he will receive multiple trial dates and any judge that hears any of his hearings will be disqualified from hearing the others. 

Atoa is charged in connection with a sexual assault in October 2025, where a 24-year-old vulnerable female was sexually assaulted at his residence. In that case, Atoa is charged with sexual assault and obtaining for consideration sexual services/communicating for the purpose of sexual services.

For those charges, Atoa is set to stand trial on June 23, 2026. 

On Dec. 19, 2025, police responded to a report that a 14-year-old girl was being held in an apartment along the 500 block of 8 Street South. Upon arrival, a male answered the door, and the girl was located inside in medical distress. The victim was transported to hospital.

Lethbridge Police said the male was later arrested without incident and following the execution of a search warrant, two additional girls aged 15 and 16, were found inside the residence after being unlawfully confined for several hours. 

Atoa is charged with human trafficking of a person under 18, sexual assault of a child under 16, sexual interference, obtaining sexual services of a child for consideration, indecent exposure to a child under 16, sexual counsel of a child and three counts of unlawful confinement. 

Those matters were adjourned to Feb. 18 to set a pre-trial conference date.