Atoa remains in custody, pleads not guilty to all charges

By Lethbridge Herald on January 27, 2026.

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman

Lethbridge Herald

Lethbridge man Skye Atoa, accused with multiple sex related offences remains in custody after pleading not guilty to all charges Monday morning. 

After the Crown gave revocation notice to Atoa’s lawyer Richard Muenz last week, Atoa agreed to remain in custody. 

Muenz asked Justice Olsen and the Crown to allow Atoa’s matters to be adjourned to Feb. 2 to set trial dates in the various charges. 

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

On Jan. 13, Lethbridge Police re-arrested Atoa for breaching the conditions of a release order approximately half an hour after his release from custody.

According to Lethbridge Police, upon his release, Atoa was required to go to a court-ordered residence, but after being dropped off at the location he made no attempt to comply with the requirements and instead proceeded to a store.

Through proactive investigation, police observed the subject in the store’s perfume aisle in very close proximity to a young female and he was immediately arrested.

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, is now charged for breaching the conditions of a release order. 

Atoa’s charges stem from two incidents where vulnerable females were sexually assaulted and unlawfully confined. 

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 also charged in connection with a previous 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.