Edmonton woman says she was ‘unpersoned’ by church after Orthodox clergyman charged with sexual assault

Edmonton woman says she was ‘unpersoned’ by church after Orthodox clergyman charged with sexual assault

Edmonton clergyman remains listed as active protodeacon after criminal charge

A member of the clergy with an Orthodox church in Edmonton has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman more than two decades ago, and the complainant in the case says she was ostracized from the church after reporting the alleged crime.

Jesse Isaac, 43, was charged by the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) in July in connection with an alleged sexual assault in October 2004. The allegations have not been proven in court.

According to the website for St. Olga of Alaska Orthodox Church, Isaac serves as a protodeacon at the south Edmonton church. The church is part of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), which includes hundreds of parishes across Canada, the United States and Mexico.

At the time of the alleged assault, Isaac was serving at the St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church, which also belongs to the OCA.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Isaac remained listed on the OCA’s Archdiocese of Canada website as an active member of its clergy, more than six weeks after the charge of sexual assault was laid against him.

Protodeacon is a senior rank bestowed on married deacons for dedicated service and they serve the church by assisting a bishop or priest during services, as well as leading congregations in prayer.

During a hearing in the Edmonton Court of Justice Wednesday, Isaac pleaded not guilty to the charge of sexual assault and elected that his trial be heard by a judge and jury.

The case will now proceed in the Court of King's Bench of Alberta with the next appearance in Edmonton scheduled for November 27.

The woman who alleges Isaac assaulted her has been granted a court-ordered publication ban, but shared her story with CBC News, along with emails and messages that document her attempts to have her claims investigated by the church.

She said she felt compelled to report what happened to police, years later, in May 2025 out of a desire for justice and healing.

She said Isaac has remained in his position long after church leaders became aware of her allegation, making her feel like a criminal investigation was her only remaining recourse.

“I was so broken,” she said. “I was seeking accountability.”

In response to a request for comment, CBC News received a statement from a lawyer representing the OCA.

“The church takes allegations of criminal wrongdoing very seriously in every instance and fully co-operated with the Edmonton police,” wrote Mark Hamilton of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC.

“Yet other than to offer prayers for the welfare and healing of all those involved, the church does not comment on ongoing police investigations or criminal proceedings.”

Church officials declined to answer CBC News’ questions about the internal investigation or Isaac’s future with its congregations, citing the ongoing court case.

Isaac has not responded directly to requests for comment. In a statement to CBC News, his criminal defence lawyer declined to comment on the case, citing the ongoing court proceedings.

According to his profile on the church website, Isaac was ordained as a deacon in 2011 and elevated to the rank of protodeacon in 2015. He spent many years serving at the St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church in Edmonton but was transferred in 2025 to St. Olga’s Mission, a newer mission church established by St. Herman's.

EPS has declined to provide specific details about its investigation, the evidence gathered against Isaac or the relationship between the accused and the complainant.

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Court records show Isaac was arrested on July 18, 2026, and has since been released on bail with conditions.

The case will be prosecuted by indictment, a process reserved for more serious offences, which means a conviction could result in a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

Documents, including emails and text messages the complainant shared with CBC News, show it has been more than 17 months since she formally shared her allegation of sexual assault with church officials.

The complainant was a young woman at the time of the alleged assault. She told CBC News she joined an OCA congregation after converting to the Orthodox faith.

She said that by spring of 2025, the memory of what happened to her had become an unbearable burden, leading her to confide in a few close friends within the congregation.

She said word of her allegations soon spread and reached church officials, in what she characterized as a betrayal of her trust that resulted in her being ostracized.

“I was robbed of the chance to heal quietly,” she said.

Documents she shared with CBC News show that after being questioned by church officials, she later detailed her allegations to OCA leadership in March 2025, and her complaint was referred to the Office for Review of Sexual Misconduct Allegations (ORSMA).

ORSMA is a dedicated body within the church responsible for tracking and assisting with investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct.

Correspondence shared with CBC News shows that ORSMA was formally informed of the allegations on April 3, 2025, after local church leaders became aware of the alleged sexual assault and filed a formal report.

Documents show Isaac served a 10-day suspension from his role with the church, from April 3 to April 13, 2025. The church announced the suspension on its website but did not provide a reason to its parishioners.

Correspondence shared with CBC News indicates ORSMA later determined the allegation fell outside its purview because the alleged assault occurred before Isaac was ordained as a deacon.

The complainant said she repeatedly called for further investigation and repercussions, but felt her demands went unheard. Documents she shared with CBC News show she messaged and emailed church leaders repeatedly and sent parish-wide emails sharing her concerns.

After weeks of sharing her complaints, she said she was told to leave the congregation outright.

In late April 2025, according to an email she shared with CBC News, she was informed that she no longer had the “blessing” of church leaders to attend services or receive sacraments at St. Herman’s or St. Olga’s.

In the email, church officials told her she was no longer welcome, that due to her allegations against church leadership, they could no longer give her the spiritual guidance she needed.

The email also stated the ORSMA investigation had concluded after determining the “incident, if true,” occurred prior to Isaac’s ordination.

The complainant said there is no clear mechanism for victims to seek accountability within their church communities. She said the parish she attended for 20 years no longer feels like a safe place to practise her faith.

“It’s like losing a family,” she said. “They unpersoned me.

“I still have faith … but it killed my spirit.”

She said she feels punished for attempting to seek spiritual support for what happened to her.

In a statement provided to CBC News, EPS officials wrote that historical sexual assault investigations can be complex but delayed reporting of such crimes does not prevent a thorough investigation.

“Police recognize that victims of sexual violence may take months, years or even decades before feeling ready to disclose what happened to them,” EPS said.

Wallis Snowdon is a journalist with CBC Edmonton focused on bringing stories to the website and the airwaves. Originally from New Brunswick, Wallis has reported in communities across Canada, from Halifax to Fort McMurray. She previously worked as a digital and current affairs producer with CBC Radio in Edmonton. Share your stories with Wallis at wallis.snowdon@cbc.ca.