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DENINU KU'E/FORT RESOLUTION
A Fort Resolution resident has been arrested after a child pornography investigation, said RCMP Cpl. Barry Ledoux.

Ledoux would not confirm whether the individual was male or female, or the individual's age.

He said the arrest was made on Oct. 9 after an RCMP investigation titled Operation Snapshot, which included police agencies from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. The investigation found a "person of interest" in Fort Resolution and notified the RCMP's G Division, which serves the Northwest Territories.

"As a result of the information that was shared with us from other police agencies, we receive information there was a person of interest in Fort Resolution," Ledoux said.

He said the RCMP obtained a search warrant for a residence in the community and seized computer-related equipment.

Ledoux said the case is the only one currently under investigation in the territory.

At a press conference in Yellowknife on Oct. 17, Ledoux said Operation Snapshot began on June 12 and targeted predators using "peer-to-peer" online networks to distribute and receive images of child sexual abuse.

He said the investigation led to the rescue of one child in Saskatoon who was being abused by a non-family member living in the home.

More than 100,000 images of child sexual abuse were found on the 100 computers and hard drives confiscated during the investigation.

"The NWT is one of thousands of investigations being conducted around the world involving the exploitation of children," Ledoux said. "We're doing our part in trying to keep communities and children safe."

He said there have been approximately 30 child exploitation investigations in the North over the past five years.

Ledoux said the investigation is ongoing and no charges had been laid by press deadline on Oct. 18.

He also said a recent sexual assault that took place in Fort Resolution was not related to the current investigation.

- with files from Svjetlana Mlinarevic

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