A 19-year-old Beaverlodge man is facing several charges after an investigation into allegations that he sexually exploited an underage girl from British Columbia.
Police say the investigation involved Internet Child Exploitation units in Alberta and B.C. and began after the girl’s parents discovered messages between her and the suspect and contacted Kelowna RCMP.
Police allege the two first connected on the online gaming platform Roblox before moving their conversations to Snapchat. Investigators say the messages became sexual and the girl was pressured into sharing explicit photos and videos.
The man was arrested Oct. 29 and charged with child luring, making sexually explicit material available to a child, making child sexual abuse and exploitation material and possessing that material.
“Diverting the conversation to other platforms is a common tactic by offenders to evade detection and in some case bypass existing safety protocols,” said Acting Sgt. Matt Pepper of ALERT.
The man has been released from custody and is due in Grande Prairie court on Nov. 18.
The allegations have not been proven in court.
