A 40-year-old Wetaskiwin child-care worker has been arrested and charged with possession and distribution of child pornography.
The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams’ Internet Child Exploitation unit began an investigation after it was alerted to an “IP address of interest” by members of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Ottawa and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
On Thursday, Tykes and Tots Day Home in Wetaskiwin was searched as part of the investigation.
“We have a significant amount of devices that were seized, which means a significant amount of work for our forensic technicians to get into those devices,” said Staff Sgt. Stephen Camp with ALERT.
ALERT said there is no information to suggest any children at the day home were involved in the child porn. However, investigators would like to speak with anyone who has used the day home, which has been in operation since 2001.
“We’re in contact with the parents right now in regards to the concerns they would have,” Camp said. “We don’t know how much engagement he had with the children and we also don’t know if he was ever engaged with them alone.
“They’ve been in business for a long time so there could be a number of parents that have to come forward that are probably very concerned after what they’re going to hear today.”
Armida Orian lives across the street from the Wetaskiwin home and said she doesn’t know the people who live there well, but would say hello to them when she saw them.
- 2 teens charged with murder in case of 16-year-old killed outside Halifax mall
- Green Party deputy leader given jail sentence for Fairy Creek old growth protests
- Cars torched, explosions heard in suspected arson in Montreal neighbourhood
- Gas station clerk stabbed several times during violent attack at Ultramar in Montreal
She said she saw police at the home on Thursday, carrying containers out of the house.
“There was, I think, three police cars there and, I think, five or six policemen just checking the house,” Orian said Friday. “When I heard the news, it’s a really shocking story.”
Darren Reilly, 40, is accused of downloading and accessing child sexual exploitation materials. ALERT said Reilly worked part-time at the Wetaskiwin day home.
“He lives there and it’s his property,” Camp said. “There’s no indication that the actual business owner is involved in this.”
Reilly is also employed as a Correctional Peace Officer, ALERT said.
Reilly appeared in court on Friday.
Anyone who may have attended Tykes and Tots Day Home or sent their children there is asked to contact ALERT at 780-509-3371.
Comments