Sherwood Park camp counsellor charged

A 19-year-old Sherwood Park camp counsellor has been charged with possessing and distributing child pornography following an 11-month investigation by Alberta’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit.

Investigators arrested the teenager, who had been employed as a day camp counsellor at the Strathcona Wilderness Centre for the past two years, at a Sherwood Park residence July 13 and seized several electronic devices. His last day at work was July 12.

RCMP’s National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre first referred the case to the Alberta unit in August last year.

A preliminary search of the devices revealed child exploitation material, police said, adding that the devices were sent to the unit’s forensic team for a more thorough examination.

Police said there is no evidence any offences took place against children who attended the camps.

In a release, Strathcona County said it “takes the safety and care of all its guests seriously.”

“All Strathcona County leaders working with children or vulnerable populations must meet the highest industry standards for recruitment,” a news release issued Thursday said.

“All prospective candidates are required to provide both criminal records and vulnerable sector checks and their references are checked.”

Edward Vukovic has been released on bail with a number of conditions, including not possessing a computer or telecommunication device capable of accessing the internet, not being in a public place or in a private home with anyone under the age of 18 without adult supervision, and not working or volunteering anywhere children under 16 may be present.