Interprovincial ICE Investigation Leads to Arrest of Edmonton Man

Edmonton… ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit has arrested a 50-year-old Edmonton man for multiple sexual offences allegedly committed against family members.

The ICE team based in Edmonton arrested the man on Aug. 31, 2017, with the assistance of Edmonton Police Service and RCMP officers. The six-month investigation identified four child victims in Alberta, Manitoba and Nova Scotia.

The accused’s name is not being released in order to protect the identities of the victims, who were all known relatives of the accused. ICE is working with the Zebra Centre for Child Protection to provide support and resources to the victims.

The suspect first came to police’s attention in March 2017 when he allegedly uploaded child pornography to the Internet. The RCMP’s National Child Exploitation Coordination Center referred the case to ICE, who prioritized the investigation after it appeared the images being shared were homemade.

The suspect was first arrested on March 21, 2017, and was charged with one count of possession of child pornography and two counts of distribution of child pornography.

ICE’s ensuing investigation uncovered additional sexual offences committed against known family members of the accused. These historical offences allegedly took place in Edmonton, Manitoba and Nova Scotia over a period of several years while the victims were young children. Charges relating to offences allegedly committed in Edmonton – including sexual assault, invitation to sexual touching and sexual interference – were subsequently laid while the suspect was in custody.

On Aug. 31, 2017, the suspect was arrested on warrants issued in Manitoba and Nova Scotia for the alleged offences committed in those respective jurisdictions. These offences include sexual assault, sexual interference, touching for a sexual purpose, bestiality, and child pornography offences.

The accused is currently being transported under police supervision to Manitoba for court proceedings. He is scheduled to appear in court in Thompson, Man., on Monday, Sept. 11.

Anyone with information about this investigation or 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. Members of Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, Lethbridge Police Service, Medicine Hat Police Service, and RCMP work in ALERT.