Southern Alberta authorities have made arrests in two child pornography cases, one of them as a result of a drug raid on an Airdrie residence.
Yesterday, police arrested Gregory Fritzke of Medicine Hat on charges of accessing and distributing child pornography.
Fritzke’s arrest comes after a three-month investigation by the Southern Alberta Integrated Child Exploitation (ICE) unit and police in Medicine Hat. Police say they were notified of Fritzke after a file was forwarded from the National Child Exploitation Co-ordination Centre.
“In a lot of cases like this, not only do they access and download child pornography for their own use, but they also distribute it as well,” Staff Sgt. Doug Andrus of ICE said in Calgary yesterday.
RCMP also arrested 47-year-old Roy Rodney Knapp of Airdrie on Friday afternoon.
A search of his home turned up 52 marijuana plants and 545 grams of marijuana valued at up to $5,450.
Investigators also said they found child pornography on a computer inside the home.
According to the RCMP, Knapp previously had a licence that permitted him to grow up to 35 marijuana plants, but the licence expired Thursday.
Police will not reveal at this time whether these cases are connected.
Knapp will appear in court Feb. 19 to face charges.
