Edmonton… A 35-year-old man from Bonnyville, Alta. was arrested by ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation unit following a child sexual exploitation investigation and allegations he distributed a nude photo of his young daughter.
ALERT arrested the suspect on April 6 with the assistance of RCMP Bonnyville. ALERT is an integrated team consisting of Edmonton Police Service and RCMP members, and investigates offences involving child pornography, any computer-related child sexual abuse, child luring over the Internet, voyeurism involving victims under the age of 18, and child sex trade/tourism.
ALERT began their investigation in September 2015 after receiving referrals from both RCMP British Columbia ICE and the United States’ Georgia Bureau of Investigation. ALERT believes that the accused shared and distributed child pornography online, and at least one photo included his daughter.
The accused’s name is not being provided in order to protect the identity of the victim. The accused’s family members are receiving support from Child and Family Services and the Zebra Child Protection Centre.
The accused has been charged with the following criminal offences:
“The reality is that these offences do occur more frequently than many realize. Small towns are not immune to this problem and we will to work collaboratively with ALERT to address it and bring justice to those who victimize children in this manner,” said S/Sgt. Luis Gandolfi, Bonnyville RCMP.
Anyone with information about this investigation, or any child exploitation offence is encouraged to contact police or cybertip.ca.
The work we do is about our communities, and that’s why we recognize that residents can be instrumental in tackling serious crime. If you or someone you know has been the victim of a crime, or you suspect criminal activity, please reach out. Your information will remain strictly confidential.
Thank you for helping to make Alberta safer by being actively involved and reporting suspicious activity.
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