One of Canada’s leading startup advocates has been charged with two criminal offences following an incident in Saskatoon last month, according to The Globe and Mail.

Jesse Wiebe, executive director of the Canadian Startup Capital Association, or the CSCA, was arrested by Saskatoon police on May 17 and charged with willfully committing an indecent act and unlawfully entering a dwelling with intent to commit an indictable offence.

Police said in a release issued last month that an unidentified man allegedly entered a residence where he was unknown to the occupants. The individual appeared to be intoxicated and was later released into medical care. Police did not identify the accused at the time.

Wiebe appeared in Saskatoon provincial court on June 15, where a Crown attorney elected to proceed with the charges by summary conviction. Under Canadian law, summary offences are generally considered less serious than indictable offences and can carry a maximum sentence of two years less a day in jail upon conviction. The allegations have not been proven in court.

Court records show Wiebe is scheduled to return to court on June 30 to enter a plea.

In an emailed statement to The Globe and Mail, Wiebe said: “This is a deeply serious matter, and I am treating it as such. I am currently addressing significant personal and mental health challenges, and I am receiving professional support and treatment. I am co-operating with the legal process and will not be commenting on specific details while the matter is before the courts.”

Wiebe has been a prominent figure in Canada’s startup investment community. He attended the Invest Canada conference in Halifax last month, and we reported on his efforts to strengthen early-stage investment across the country.  We’re reporting on his arrest just to provide balance to our recent coverage.

The CSCA, a national organization launched in April to support angel investors, startup funds and investment networks, has advocated for federal measures to expand startup financing. These include funding for angel investor networks, tax incentives for early-stage investors and programs aimed at developing investment expertise across Canada.

Wiebe had argued that increased investor activity could particularly benefit the Maritimes, where he said angel investment infrastructure remains underdeveloped.