Military police officer whose disappearance sparked manhunt gets $8K fine, severe reprimand

A Canadian flag patch is shown on an Armed Forces member's uniform in Trenton, Ont., on Oct. 16, 2014. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg)

A Canadian military police officer who vanished from his unit for two months, triggering a cross-country manhunt as he changed phones and vehicles to avoid detection, has been sentenced by a military court to a severe reprimand and an $8,000 fine.

Capt. Alexander Tseng, 28, pleaded guilty to being absent without leave after he failed to report for duty at Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake in Alberta following a compassionate leave.

The officer’s disappearance triggered a 10-week search involving military police, the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) and eventually the RCMP.

“Police sought and obtained multiple warrants to track cellphones, vehicles, obtain CCTV footage, and banking transactions, all with the aim of locating Capt. Tseng,” military judge Col. Nancy Isenor wrote in her recently released decision.

During the manhunt, Tseng left a voicemail for a CFNIS sergeant, acknowledging that investigators were looking for him and saying that he had gone into hiding.

“He stated that he would not contact CFNIS any further and that any further contact with CFNIS would be done through a national security lawyer,” the judge wrote of the June 28 message.

One month later, investigators located a Porsche belonging to Tseng near Richmond Hill, Ont., where he was ultimately found and arrested.

At his court martial hearing, military prosecutors argued the level of premeditation and planning involved in Tseng’s prolonged disappearance was an aggravating factor in the case. They also pointed to the impact his actions had on the discipline and morale of the military police, particularly given his senior rank.

The judge agreed, noting that substantial investigative resources were diverted from other matters because of Tseng’s “deliberate actions.”

“The fact that the offender was an officer of the rank of captain, and a member of the military police—the very military occupation that the CAF (Canadian Armed Forces) depends on to ensure adherence and respect for the law” exacerbated the circumstances, she added.

However, Isenor also considered a handful of mitigating factors in her sentencing, including Tseng’s early guilty plea and apology to the court, which “demonstrates that he is taking responsibility for his actions in this public trial in the presence of members of his former unit and the military community.”

Tseng’s lack of prior criminal or military discipline record also weighed in his favour, as did positive character references submitted to the court on his behalf.

“It is clear that he was performing strongly in his career prior to this incident and enjoyed the trust and respect of his peers and co-workers,” the judge wrote.

‘Deeply disturbing’

The reason for Tseng’s sudden disappearance, which the judge called “deeply disturbing,” remains vague. Isenor said the hearing provided “no explanation to justify or help the court understand the deliberate choices” the offender made.

A visit from the RCMP on May 5 prompted Tseng to seek and receive the compassionate leave from which he ultimately failed to return.

“It is clear that whatever information was provided to you on 5 May 2025 by the RCMP has affected you deeply and caused significant disturbance in both your professional and personal life,” Isenor wrote.

While the judge said the court was sympathetic to the fact that Tseng did not appear to seek out the circumstances he found himself in, he did ultimately choose his conduct thereafter.

“The court finds this particularly concerning given the fact that you are a military police officer, who is equipped with all the necessary training, skills and tools required to handle serious and even life-threatening situations,” she wrote.

“The CAF depends on us all to step up and show up when we are needed most, and in this situation, you failed in your responsibility to do so.”