Winnipeg pastor accused of sexually assaulting teenage camp counsellor
Posted May 5, 2026 9:42 am.
Last Updated May 5, 2026 6:28 pm.
Winnipeg police say a pastor who directed a youth camp group allegedly sexually assaulted a teenage camp counsellor.
The Winnipeg Police Service alleges the 23-year-old pastor groomed and gained the trust of the counsellor, then entered a sexual relationship with the teen between August 2025 and March 2026.
Carson Alexander Parago is alleged to have met the teen in private on multiple occasions and to have sent sexually explicit material to the teen.
Parago worked at the Centerpoint Church in Winnipeg from May 2023 to September 2025 as the pastor of families minister. He resigned shortly after going on medical leave in August.
The church’s current lead pastor Glenn Krobel says he contacted Winnipeg police when he first learned of the allegations.
“I didn’t know anything about this particular incident until March of 2026 when I was informed by the parents of the minor that was involved. Immediately upon hearing that, I made a report to the Winnipeg Police Service’s sex crimes unit the very next day, as it is our duty to do that,” Krobel explained.
Krobel says Parago was no longer an employee with the church at the time. He says the allegations came as a surprise.
“I perceived him to be a good worker,” Krobel said. “I mean, we had no major issues that would point to this. We saw him serving in a number of roles, capacities in terms of camp director, youth ministry leadership, and helping out, overseeing our Sunday school ministry, which we called Centerpoint Kids.”
Krobel said that the victim was working and reporting directly to Parago during the church’s day camp. He also said that his number one concern is not with the reputation of the church, but with the victim.
“We want the family to know, and we want our community to know that our concern for them is legitimate, real, is deeply felt,” said Krobel.
Krobel also said there is no history of sexual misconduct at Centerpoint Church, but that they plan to make sure something like this can never happen again.
“As far as our church is concerned, it gives us the pause to say, ‘OK, let’s take a look at everything that we do and make sure that we do a regular systems check every year on our fiduciary new year and our child protection policy and what that means for our community volunteers and our staff,'” he said. “But any time this happens, we say, ‘how can we do a better job, how can we improve,’” Krobel said.
On April 30, Parago was charged with sexual assault, sexual exploitation, luring an underage person via telecommunication, and transmitting sexually explicit material to a minor.
He was released from custody under Crown-authorized conditions. The allegations against him have not been tested in court.
