Sex charges have been laid against a B.C. priest wanted on outstanding country-wide warrants.

Sgt. Dean Jantzen said Phillip Jacobs was arrested as he arrived in Canada at the Victoria airport on Wednesday.

Jacobs is facing charges of sexual assault, sexual interference and sexual exploitation.

Police say the alleged offences involve children under the age of 14, but their genders are not known. Jantzen said the charges are based on allegations made last year.

Father Jacobs served as Parish Priest of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Saanich, near Victoria, from 1998 to 2002, until it was revealed he was accused of sexual misconduct in a previous post with the Diocese of Columbus.

Jacobs was the subject of a police probe in 2002 after a person in Ohio said he had committed offences against children in that state when he lived there.

There wasn’t enough evidence to proceed with criminal charges. Jantzen would not say if the potential victims from eight years ago are the same as those who sparked last year’s investigation.

He is currently in custody awaiting a bail hearing.