The Sarnia Police Service arrested Nicholas Ritonja on Feb. 8, 2026, after responding to a trespassing complaint at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church on Oak Avenue in Sarnia, Ont. Police say the complaint came from church staff during or near the time of a service.
Ritonja was charged with failure to comply with probation and was remanded into custody following the arrest.
Sarnia Police said the arrest was intended to address ongoing safety concerns and to reassure congregants. Ritonja has a documented history of incidents at local places of worship, including being accused in 2024 of strangling a parishioner at Our Lady of Mercy (those charges were withdrawn in January 2025) and later pleading guilty to separate courthouse and jail-related offences for which he received time served and probation.
Ritonja will remain in custody while the court reviews the new charge.
