Children’s relief care provider faces child pornography charges

A child caregiver who provided services out of his home in northern Alberta is facing multiple child pornography charges, says the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT).

The 52-year-old — arrested Feb. 8 with the help of McLennan RCMP — offered children’s relief care in his home in Donnelly, about 427 km northwest of Edmonton, said ALERT in a Friday release.

ALERT’s Integrated Child Exploitation unit (ICE) has no belief at this time to suspect any children in the man’s care were victimized. Alberta Children’s Services continues to provide support to the investigation. Police have seized a number of computers and electronic devices.

The investigation was triggered in July when the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children provided information about an unknown Alberta man uploading child pornography via a social media application. ICE identified the man as the suspect.

The man is believed to have acted as a children’s relief care provider for a number of years, providing temporary services out of his home on an emergent or short-term basis, say police.

Royal “Mac” Olsen is charged with possession and distribution of child pornography.

Anyone with information about the case or any child exploitation offence is encouraged to contact police or cybertip.ca.