By Black Sheep | October 22, 2026
Just when I thought this story could not take another unexpected turn, this headline appeared: a doctor in the Grand Forks area has been charged with two counts of sexual assault.
The physician named in the reporting is Dr. Nathan Gordon Dalla Lana—Svetlana Dalla Lana’s former husband, as I know him through my dealings with her.
My immediate reaction? WITAF.
Readers who have followed my writing about Svetlana will understand why that name stopped me in my tracks. But the shock of recognizing a name must be kept separate from the evidence in a criminal case.
This news story broke on the same day as his sister former Mayor of Castlegar announced her new executive director job making over $100k per year @forestryBC a non profit (that’s at least twice what she was making as mayor so that is good for her)
What has been reported
In an October 22 report, the Creston Valley Advance says Dalla Lana was charged on October 16, 2026, with two counts of sexual assault. Citing the B.C. Prosecution Service, it reports that the alleged offences occurred on August 10, 2026, at or near Grand Forks. His first court appearance is scheduled for November 17, 2026.
The report also states that a publication ban prohibits identifying any victim or witness in the case.
These are charges. They have not been proven, and Dalla Lana is presumed innocent. I have no firsthand knowledge of the alleged incidents and am making no claim about the identities of the complainants.
CBC report:
Additional reporting — Betsy Kline, Creston Valley Advance:
Why the name is familiar to Black Sheep readers
I have previously written about my interactions with Svetlana and the relationships and events surrounding those interactions. Those articles explain why this news carries a particular personal significance for me. They do not establish anything about the sexual-assault allegations now before the court.
Svetlana Dalla Lana — Summer 2024: Before Everything Changed
My account of an earlier, friendlier period, including the Sea-Doo rental at Christina Lake and how my relationship with Svetlana subsequently deteriorated.
Six Degrees of Svetlana Dalla Lana: The PPC, Sean Taylor, Danny Martin, Michael Martinz—and Me
My account of how I met Sean Taylor, introduced him to Svetlana, and came to know the relationships described in that article.
What I Discovered Last Night—and Why September 23, 2025 Matters
A guide to earlier Black Sheep posts and the distinction between the dates of communications and the dates I published about them.
An unexpected development
Having written so much about my experiences involving Svetlana, seeing her former husband named in this reporting is another deeply unexpected development.
His former marriage does not implicate Svetlana in these allegations. Nor have I established any connection between these charges and the harassment or attack on my family that I have described elsewhere.
The allegations deserve serious attention, the people involved deserve a fair process, and the case must be assessed on its own evidence.
But as a personal reaction to seeing that familiar name in today’s headlines: what a turn of events. WITAF, indeed.
— Black Sheep
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