Canadian Football League GM Charged With Sexually Assaulting A 16 Year Old Girl

REGINA -- Roughriders General Manager Eric Tillman has been charged with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl, the Regina Leader-Post has learned.

Regina Police Service spokeswoman Elizabeth Popowich confirmed Tuesday that Tillman, 51, has been charged in an incident alleged to have happened in Regina on Aug. 6.

Popowich said Tillman is not in custody. He has a court date scheduled for Feb.24 at Regina Provincial Court.

“He was arrested, charged and then released on an undertaking to appear in court,” she said.

Popowich said the complainant came forward within three days of the alleged incident in August, and the investigation led to Tillman being charged last week. No further details of the allegation are being released by police.

Tillman, a veteran CFL executive, arrived in Regina in 2006 after the Riders fired general manager Roy Shivers.

Tillman became a fan favourite after hiring Kent Austin as the team’s head coach for 2007, a year in which the Riders captured the CFL’s Grey Cup.

Popowich said Tillman’s high-profile position in the community didn’t have any impact on how police handled the allegation or the subsequent investigation.

“People aren’t treated any differently,” she said. “The investigations that occur in any alleged incident are thorough and complete. In many cases, there will be several levels of review or consultation, but that’s not uncommon. (A person’s profile in the community) really isn’t pertinent to the investigation, or the subsequent charge or the court proceedings that follow.”