Police say the discovery of thousands of photos on work computers have led to child pornography charges against an Alberta Children’s Services employee.
The Internet Child Exploitation unit says a 60-year-old man was arrested last week in Leduc, just south of Edmonton.
Police say he had worked in the children’s services office in High Level, Alta., and with Athabasca Tribal Council Child and Family Services.
Henry Victor Haineault of Fort McMurray, Alta., has been charged with two counts each of possessing and accessing child pornography.
The Athabasca Tribal Council came to police last November about “concerning images” on a USB drive, RCMP Cpl. Cameron Dunn said Wednesday. Haineault’s work computers and devices were seized in January and were searched by forensic technicians.
The charges are related only to alleged online offences, but the nature of the suspect’s work put him in direct contact with children, Dunn said.
“He had recent access to children up to that complaint, so certainly potential victims being out there ... bumped it up on the priority list in terms of the forensic queue and the examination of his devices,” he said.
“Mr. Haineault’s employment and potential access to children certainly increased the concern that we have, although ... once we received the complaint he was on administrative suspension.”
Dunn said Alberta Children’s Services has been co-operating with the investigation.
“They have provided us with all information they were able to.”