Amanjot Rai, 27, of Chestermere has been charged with online child luring and other child exploitation offences following a joint investigation involving local RCMP, Calgary Police Services (CPS) and the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT).
According to ALERT Spokesman Mike Tucker, ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) team made the arrest Dec. 9.
Rai was arrested in Chestermere after officers executing a search warrant at his home found and seized a variety of computers and electronic devices.
Rai has been formally charged with accessing child pornography, possession of child pornography, making child pornography, two counts of child luring, making sexually explicit material available and invitation to sexual touching.
“It was a relationship that transpired over a pretty reasonable duration of time between the accused and an underage Calgary girl,” Tucker said. “This was all done online – I’m not going to specify what platform was used.
“The girl’s parents discovered (the inappropriate content) on her phone or computer and contacted Calgary police who initiated the investigation, notified ALERT to provide some assistance,” he said.
“(ALERT was) really successful in taking over the digital investigations where we have photos and videos to identify a suspect using IP addresses.”
Rai was released from custody after a bail hearing with conditions that prevent him from owning computers or accessing the Internet.
He appeared in Strathmore Provincial Court Dec. 15. A spokesperson for the Provincial Courts did not know the outcome of that appearance as of Dec. 17.
Tucker said anyone with any information about this crime or any other involving the sexual exploitation of a child is encouraged to contact local police or cybertip.ca
