BONNYVILLE - A trial date has been set for a woman who is facing several sexual offence charges involving youth. At the time, she was a teacher working in Bonnyville.
Janelle Maisie Arnold is scheduled to be in Bonnyville court on Jan. 22, 2026, for trial.
According to information from Alberta Justice and Solicitor General, Arnold was not present at her last court date, which took place on June 17, 2025.
Background
On Sept. 6, 2024, Arnold was arrested by Bonnyville RCMP after police were contacted on Sept. 5 by concerned parents regarding alleged “inappropriate contact with a student by a teacher.”
As previously reported by Lakeland This Week, RCMP were told that at the end of August, 2024, Arnold allegedly sexually assaulted a youth “and paid the student money in hopes that they would not disclose the incident,” according to information released in September of 2024.
At that time, Arnold was charged with sexual assault and sexual interference. She was taken before a Justice of the Peace and was released on a release order with conditions.
On Oct. 26, 2024, Arnold was re-arrested on a child luring charge in Wainwright after RCMP had received a report from a concerned family member of a youth.
“This youth had been speaking to an unknown female, on a messaging application, who was attempting to lure the youth and his friends to her hotel room,” states an RCMP media release, dated Oct. 28, 2024.
Then, “Following the original arrest of Janelle Arnold, Bonnyville RCMP discovered that Janelle had contacted two youth from New Zealand via social media,” according to information from Bonnyville RCMP sent out on Nov. 8, 2024. Arnold “then sent money and gifts to the youths.”
