Sat, October 2, 2004
Ottawa police are investigating a local man in connection with an Edmonton police child pornography probe that resulted in charges against a mom who allegedly distributed explicit pictures of her six-year-old son. Acting on information received from Edmonton investigators, the Ottawa police hi-tech crimes unit conducted a search of the man's apartment this week and seized items related to the investigation, including a computer.
Edmonton police identified the Ottawa man as a suspect during a six-month child pornography investigation that was based on a tip from the city's Child and Family Services Authority.
WOMAN CHARGED
A 36-year-old Edmonton woman was arrested on Thursday and has been charged with making, possessing and distributing child pornography, sexual interference and sexual assault. Her name has not been released to protect the identity of her son.
"It goes to show you that when police receive an allegation -- especially allegations involving child exploitation -- that they are taken extremely seriously," said Edmonton police spokesman Andy Weiler. "But this is one of those very odd or strange cases where it's a woman who ends up getting charged."
ARREST EXPECTED
The unidentified 56-year-old man has not been charged, but police said an arrest is expected shortly.
Police executed a search warrant on an Edmonton home in April and seized two computers and a number of other related items.
Investigators allege they recovered more than 100 images of what's believed to be child pornography from the computers. Police said the images are of unknown victims ranging from preschoolers to preteens. The children are in various poses or are engaged in explicit sex acts with adults.
The boy was removed from the home in April and is living with relatives.
laura.czekaj@ott.sunpub.com