RCMP have arrested and charged a member of the Parkland County Fire Services with child sexual exploitation offences following an investigation by ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit.
Officers with the ICE unit say Matthew Shaw, 26, was arrested on Wednesday, June 5, with the help of the Parkland RCMP. Police say Shaw is charged with the following:
- Possession of child pornography.
- Accessing child pornography.
- Transmitting child pornography.
- Unsafe storage of a firearm (x2).
According to investigators, Shaw allegedly distributed child sexual abuse material over the social media application Snapchat. Officers with ALERT say they were notified of the alleged offence by the RCMP’s National Child Exploitation Crime Center in October of 2023.
“We have charged suspects from all sorts of professions, all walks of life, and there is truly no demographic profile,” says Staff Sgt. Jon Morrison, ALERT ICE. “This underscores the needs for awareness and education between parents and children concerning online safety.”
Police say during the search of Shaw’s home, a number of computers and electronic devices were seized, which are now being examined to collect further evidence; police also say several firearms were located, which were not being lawfully stored.
Officials say Shaw was released from custody on a number of court-imposed conditions and is awaiting his next scheduled court appearance on July 3.
Investigators with the ICE unit are encouraging anyone with information about this case to come forward and contact police directly or through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
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