A Westlock man has been charged with multiple child pornography offences, according to authorities.
The 37-year-old man, whose name has not been released to protect the identity of the victims, was arrested on December 16, 2021, after an investigation by the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit.
The investigation began in November 2021, when ICE received a tip from the National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre about a possible suspect in the Westlock area.
After conducting a search warrant at the man’s residence, ALERT ICE seized multiple electronic devices, which were found to contain child pornography.
The man has been charged with possession, accessing, and making available child pornography. He is also facing charges for distributing child pornography and making arrangements to commit a sexual offence against a child.
ALERT ICE Staff Sgt. Stephen Camp said in a statement, “The exploitation of children is a despicable crime and ALERT will continue to work tirelessly to protect our most vulnerable citizens.”
The accused has been released on bail with strict conditions, including no contact with anyone under the age of 18 and no access to the internet.
He is scheduled to appear in court on January 20, 2022.
Anyone with information about this case or any child exploitation is urged to contact their local police or Crime Stoppers.
