The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams' Internet Child Exploitation unit has announced the arrest of two registered sex offenders in northern Alberta.
The arrests were made following separate investigations regarding child pornography offences.
Clifford Roslund, a 40-year-old resident of Kinsella, Alberta, was arrested on December 18. He faces charges of possession, distribution, and accessing child pornography.
During the investigation, police searched his home, seizing a computer and other electronic devices after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about child sexual abuse material being shared online.
Roslund, previously convicted of sexual interference in 2012, has been released from custody with his next court appearance scheduled for January 13.
In a separate case, a 35-year-old man from a rural community near Edmonton was arrested on November 29. Due to privacy concerns for the victim, the suspect's name and community are not being disclosed.
He is charged with possession, making, and transmitting child pornography, along with breach offences. The suspect allegedly shared images of child sexual exploitation involving a family member. He has a prior record, having been charged by ICE in 2014, and remains in custody with a court date set for January 7.
Acting Insp. Jon Morrison of ALERT's ICE unit emphasized the urgency of these arrests.
"These are two examples of the types of files our unit is prioritizing," he said. "In both cases, we see the history of our suspects and need to act quickly to prevent harm from happening in our communities."
There is no known connection between the two suspects apart from the nature of the alleged crimes.
ALERT encourages anyone with information about these cases or any child exploitation to contact local police or report anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.