International Co-operation Leads to Child Exploitation Arrest

Edmonton… Co-operation between law enforcement agencies in Texas and Alberta has resulted in the arrest of an Edmonton man on a number of child exploitation-related charges.

ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit executed a search warrant in Edmonton on August 15, 2019, with the assistance of Edmonton Police Service, and arrested a 35-year-old man.

Based on information shared by the Abilene (Texas) Police Department, ICE Unit investigators allege that a nine-year-old girl from Abilene was being lured over the internet, engaging in explicit conversations and sharing nude photographs over a social media application dating back to March 2019.

“There are no borders on the internet, so it’s imperative that law enforcement agencies are able to share information on cases like this,” said Cpl. Dave Knight, ALERT ICE Unit. “Once we received the information from Texas, we acted as quickly as we could to arrest the suspect and ensure the child’s safety.”

“It’s nice to see agencies working together, even internationally, for the protection of children who are our most vulnerable victims,” added Det. Catherine Mason, Abilene Police Department. “The Abilene Police Department in Texas greatly appreciates the response from Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams in the apprehension of this suspect.”

Adam Warwick, 35, has been charged with:

• child luring;
• exposing a child to explicit material;
• making child pornography;
• distributing child pornography; and
• possession of child pornography.

Abilene, Texas, is a city of more than 170,000 people located approximately 290 kilometres west of Dallas.

Anyone with information about any child exploitation offence is encouraged to contact local police or www.cybertip.ca.

ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime.