Spiritual leader of Joliette’s Mission de l’Esprit-Saint arrested

The spiritual leader of the Mission de l'Esprit-Saint in Joliette, Eugène Doucet, has been arrested and faces eight charges. (photo: courtesy)

The spiritual leader of the Mission de l’Esprit-Saint in Joliette, in the Lanaudière region, has been arrested and now faces eight criminal charges, according to a report from Noovo Info.

Eugène Doucet appeared Thursday morning at the Joliette courthouse.

He is charged with sexual assault against a woman whose identity is protected by a publication ban, exploitation of minors in a position of authority, and armed assault.

Doucet has been released under conditions, including a prohibition on contacting or approaching his alleged victim and her family.

The 55-year-old leads a fringe faction of the Mission de l’Esprit-Saint, a religious group that teaches children in clandestine classrooms.

The group’s activities were the subject of the documentary La Prison de l’Esprit-Saint, broadcast on Crave. A year after the documentary series was released, Noovo Info found that clandestine schools within the controversial religious movement were still operating.

With files from Marie-Christine Bergeron and Jennifer Gravel, Noovo Info.

Editor’s note: Noovo Info, CTV News and Crave are divisions of Bell Media, which is part of BCE Inc.