Trial by judge alone

Photo: Contributed

A man accused of threatening a sex trade worker with a gun has elected to be tried by Supreme Court judge alone.

Curtis Wayne Sagmoen appeared in a Vernon courtroom by video Thursday morning to make the election.

Sagmoen, 36, has six counts against him in connection to the Aug. 28 incident near Falkland where a sex worker alleges she was threatened with a weapon before she managed to escape.

The charges include intentionally discharging a firearm and uttering threats to a sex trade worker.

Sagmoen has been in custody since his arrest last October and will be back in a Vernon courtroom Jan. 26 for a bail hearing.

At that time, a date will also be set for a preliminary hearing that is expected to last up to two days.

Thursday was the first time protesters were not on the courthouse steps when Sagmoen appeared.

Sagmoen has become a focal point for violence against women groups in light of the charges he is facing.

Other allegations of violent acts against women by Sagmoen have also been made.

The remains of Traci Genereaux were found on a farm on Salmon River Road that is owned by Sagmoen's parents.

RCMP said the death of the 18-year-old Vernon woman is being considered suspicious, but no connection to Sagmoen has been made.

Genereaux was one of five women who have been reported missing.

Ashley Simpson, Deanna Wertz, Nicole Bell and Caitlin Potts have all gone missing in less than two years from the North Okanagan-Shuswap area.