In February of 2022, ALERT's Northern Alberta Internet Child Exploitation Unit (NAICE) launched an investigation into a Bonnyville resident who was believed to be in possession of child pornography. On July 18, 2022, after a lengthy investigation, RCMP arrested 56-year-old individual, of Bonnyville.
The individual has been charged with the following:
- Possessing Child Pornography
- Transmitting Child Pornography.
The individual has been taken before a justice of the peace and released on several conditions with his next court appearance date set for Aug. 16, 2022, at Bonnyville Provincial Court.
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.
"Edmonton ICE had great support from the Bonnyville RCMP throughout this investigation, and as a result, our team was able to effect an arrest safely and expediently. Each time someone views or distributes child pornography, the infants, children and teens depicted in those images are victimized again. Although the sexual assaults and exploitation which is depicted in the images and videos has already happened, the people who choose to download and share these images for their own gratification are effectively re-offending against the children depicted in the images. The victims of child pornography live with this trauma for the rest of their lives." Says Sergeant Kerry Shima of the Internet Child Exploitation Unit.
If you have any information about this offence or those involved please contact the Bonnyville RCMP Detachment at 780-343-7200, your local police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.