The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team has laid charges against two people in connection to alleged child sex-related offences, March 8, 2023. (Photo: ALERT)

By David Opinko

Charges laid against two Albertans in connection to alleged child sexual abuse

Mar 9, 2023 | 11:07 AM

STRATHCONA COUNTY, AB – The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) says charges have been laid against two people in connection to alleged child sexual abuse.

On February 9, 2023, the ALERT Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit says it rescued a school-aged child in Edmonton who had reportedly been sexually abused.

A 36-year-old man from Edmonton is charged with sexual assault, sexual interference, making child pornography, accessing child pornography, distributing child pornography, and possessing child pornography.

He is scheduled to appear in court in Edmonton on March 21, 2023.

According to ALERT, the man had been speaking online with a 35-year-old woman from Strathcona County, who had already been charged with similar, but unrelated offences involving a toddler on February 7, 2023.

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The prior charges against the woman include sexual exploitation, sexual interference, making arrangements to commit a sexual offence against a child, making child pornography, distributing child pornography, accessing child pornography, and possessing child pornography.

Officers say a subsequent search of the woman’s computers resulted in new charges being laid against the woman.

The new charges against the woman include two counts each of making child pornography, counselling to commit sexual assault, counselling to commit sexual interference, and counselling to commit sexual exploitation. She also faces one count each of sexual assault, sexual interference, sexual exploitation, possessing child pornography, accessing child pornography, agreeing or arranging to commit a sexual offence against a child, and distributing child pornography.

She is scheduled to appear in court in Sherwood Park on March 22, 2023.

A court-imposed publication ban prevents anyone, including media and the public, from publishing or broadcasting the names of the accused.

ALERT says, “Both children are receiving help from a variety of specialized support services, including Zebra Center for Child Protection and Edmonton Police Services’ Child at Risk Response Team.”

The agency adds that several partner organizations collaborated with them in the investigation, including the Strathcona County RCMP, Fort Saskatchewan RCMP, Edmonton Police Service, ALERT surveillance teams, FBI, and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.

Anyone with information about this case or any child exploitation situation is asked to contact their local police or report it anonymously at Cybertip.ca.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now