An Alberta man is facing charges after police say an extensive collection of child sexual abuse materials was discovered at his home in Okotoks. According to the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT), it’s the largest collection the Internet Child Exploitation unit (ICE) has ever encountered. ALERT says more than 500,000 child sexual exploitation photos and videos were found on hard drives and computers seized on May 26, following the man’s arrest. “The devices that were seized are being forensically examined, and we’re hoping to learn the origins of these particular types of media,” said Staff Sgt. Gordon MacDonald with ICE. “Behind every one of the photos and videos is a real child somewhere in this world that is being exploited for a sexual purpose,” he added. “A collection of this size is deeply disturbing, as it would have also likely been used to trade and fuel demand.” To put the number into context, the total amount of child sexual exploitation photos and videos uncovered by ALERT across the entire province in the past year is only slightly more than what was seized from the single home — 622,150. “This is truly a concerning volume of material recovered,” MacDonald said. “Going through this type of material is unpleasant – one of the worst jobs an officer can be asked to perform.” Corey Airhart, 35, is charged with possessing and accessing child sexual abuse materials. Police said there are tens of thousands of victims including very young children but they don’t know who they are or where in the world they might be. “It’s difficult. A file like this deserves to be examined and analyzed to try and identify who these victims are, whether these victims are local or children from our province,” said MacDonald. Airhart has been released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 8. He is also set to appear in Calgary court for earlier charges related to a big drug bust at Calgary Airport. Karen Orser, CEO and spokesperson for Calgary child advocacy centre Luna, says child exploitation causes significant harm to victims, families and communities. “Child sexual abuse material is not simply images or videos; it is documented evidence of the sexual abuse and exploitation of children,” she said in a statement. “Every instance of possession, sharing or distribution perpetuates harm and can contribute to ongoing trauma for victims and survivors.” “The safety and well-being of children is a shared responsibility, and we encourage anyone with concerns about the exploitation or abuse of a child to report it to police.” “This is an egregious act that we need to take seriously. We are far behind other countries when it comes to protecting our kids in the digital world,” said Sara Austin, founder and CEO of Children First Canada, who said families should also speak with their kids about the potential dangers on digital platforms including social media and gaming sites. Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact their local police service. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
