Lethbridge Man Charged with Child Luring

Lethbridge… A 27-year-old Lethbridge man has been charged with child luring and child pornography offences following an ALERT Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit investigation.

Darcy Heitman was arrested on December 5, 2019, with the assistance of Lethbridge Police Service. ICE alleges that Heitman was engaged in sexually explicit online conversations with children, whom he coerced into sending him nude photos.

Heitman has been charged with:

• child luring;
• making child pornography;
• distributing child pornography;
• accessing child pornography;
• possession of child pornography;
• theft; and
• possession of stolen property.

A number of computers and electronic devices were seized when the suspect’s Lethbridge home was searched. ICE will be conducting a full forensic analysis in order to determine the scope of the suspected criminal activity.

The investigation dates back to September 2019 when the RCMP’s National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre provided information about a Lethbridge suspect uploading child pornography via a social media application.

Heitman is scheduled to appear in court on January 8, 2020.

ICE is encouraging anyone with information about this case to come forward and contact police or 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.