A Wetaskiwin childcare day home worker has been charged with possession and distribution of child pornography.
The announcement was made by ALERT’s ICE (Internet Child Exploitation) team April 28 stating that investigators are looking to speak with families who may have used the Tykes and Tots Day Home in Wetaskiwin.
Officers arrested day home worker Darren Reilly, 40, who was an employee at the child care home in Wetaskiwin. Reilly is also employed as a corrections peace officer, say investigators.
With help from Wetaskiwin RCMP, ICE investigators searched the Tykes and Tots Day Home in Wetaskiwin April 27. The day home has been operating since 2001, say investigators, and previous clients are asked to contact ICE investigators at 780-509-3371.
Officers are looking at all avenues of the investigation and say there is no evidence to show that children were offended, however, ICE is exploring that possibility in the interest of identifying potential victims.
The investigation was spurred by a referral from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The investigation has been going on for a few months now and investigators say they were able to confirm the IP address of the worker.
ICE expects that more information will unfold as the investigation is ongoing.
Reilly is accused of downloading and accessing child sexual exploitation materials and is scheduled to appear in court April 28.
ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime. Members of Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, Lethbridge Police Service, Medicine Hat Police Service, and RCMP work in ALERT.