A Spruce Grove high school teacher has been charged with possessing child pornography following an investigation by ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit.
The ICE unit arrested Christopher Giauque on Oct. 11 with help from Parkland County RCMP, ALERT said Wednesday in a news release.
Giauque is charged with possessing child pornography.
ALERT said the investigation remains ongoing and additional charges are possible. Anyone with information is asked to contact police or cybertip.ca.
Police said the 31-year-old is a teacher at Spruce Grove Composite High School.
The school is part of the Parkland School Division. On its website, the school posted a statement from the division acknowledging it is aware of allegations and criminal charges against Giauque.
Giauque was removed from his teaching position once the school division was informed of the investigation, the statement said.
Teacher on leave, board chair says
“This is an alarming matter and Parkland School Division is taking it very seriously,” board chair Lorraine Stewart said in the statement.
“The teacher in question was placed on leave as soon as our organization was made aware of the investigation. As this involves an ongoing RCMP investigation, we are not at liberty to discuss any further.”
Police said computers and electronic devices were seized from Giauque’s Edmonton home and will be subjected to forensic examination.
Giauque was released from custody on a number of court-imposed conditions, including not to be in the company of anyone under the age of 16 without adult supervision.
He is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 6 in Stony Plain.
ALERT was established by the Alberta government in 2006 to combat organized and serious crimes. The organization brings together police from across the province.