The arrest of an Okotoks man has led to the seizure of over half a million child sexual exploitation photos and videos, marking one of the largest collections ever discovered by the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit.
According to a media release from the RCMP, the collection of over 500,000 images and videos was seized from various hard drives and computers found in an Okotoks home. In comparison, the ICE unit discovered 622,150 photos and videos containing child sexual exploitation across all investigations in the province.
Staff Sgt. Gordon MacDonald emphasized the gravity of the find: "Behind every photo and video is a real child in the world that is being exploited for sexual purposes." He added, "A collection of this size is deeply disturbing, as it would have also likely been used to trade and fuel demand."
The investigation began in January after the RCMP's National Child Exploitation Crime Centre shared information regarding a suspect uploading child sexual exploitation materials. Okotoks RCMP provided support during the investigation.
The alleged owner of the collection, 35-year-old Corey Airhart of Okotoks, has been charged with possessing and accessing child sexual abuse materials. Airhart was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court in Okotoks on August 8.
Authorities urge anyone with information related to this case to contact police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
