Investigators with ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit said a nearly year-long investigation had ended with a Sherwood Park man facing child pornography-related charges.
Edward Vukovic, 19, was arrested at a home in Sherwood Park on July 13, as investigators executed a search warrant. ALERT seized several electronic devices, and early searches of those devices uncovered child exploitation material.
The devices have also been sent to the ICE forensic team for examination.
He has been charged with possessing child pornography and distributing child pornography.
ALERT said Vukovic had worked as a day camp counsellor at the Strathcona Wilderness Centre for the last two years.
ICE said he was in a position of authority there, but ICE has no evidence to suggest any crimes were committed against children who attended those camps.
The investigation had started in August, 2016 after ICE received a tip from the RCMP’s National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre.
Vukovic was released on bail with a number of conditions. Under those conditions, the accused is not allowed to have a computer or device capable of accessing the internet, he cannot be in a public place or home with anyone under the age of 18 without adult supervision and he can’t work or volunteer anywhere children under 16-years-old may be present.
Strathcona County released a statement in response to the news Thursday, and said the county had not received details to suggest crimes were committed against children who attended the camps, and said:
“Strathcona County takes the safety and care of all its guests seriously. All Strathcona County leaders working with children or vulnerable populations must meet the highest industry standards for recruitment. All prospective candidates are required to provide both Criminal Records and Vulnerable Sector Checks and their references are checked.”
