Ex-Rocky man faces charges
A former Rocky Mountain House man, alleged to be a significant distributors of child pornography over the Internet, remains in jail in British Columbia facing numerous charges of sexual assault and various child pornography offences.
Brian Leslie Burton, 39, who recently moved to Kelowna, was remanded in custody on Aug. 7 when he appeared in Kelowna provincial court, Kelowna RCMP said.
Burton is charged with one count of sexual assault, one count of interference with a person less than 16 years old, two counts of distributing child pornography, three counts of possession of child pornography, one count of making child pornography and two counts of inviting, counselling or inciting a person less than 16 to touch any person.
He returns to court on Aug. 17.
Police said they were tipped off by Saskatchewan police on June 16 that a person who was distributing child porn over the Internet might also be actively involved in abusing a child.
The RCMP search Burton’s home and seized a computer and several data storage devices on July 2, police said.
Police said the investigation led to the identification of a young victim, who is now safe.
The B.C. Integrated Child Exploitation Team alleged that the accused is one of the most prolific child pornography distributors in the province, said Const. Rosiane Racine.
Using “new tools and techniques,” police say they have been focusing on investigations where child sexual predators may be committing “contact offences” against children.
Using these same tools, Saskatchewan ICE identified Burton on June 29 as possibly being involved in actively abusing a child.
Accident victims named
Police have identified an Edmonton woman killed when the car she was driving rolled while going northbound on Hwy 2 south of Innisfail.
Cpl. Rochelle Becker from the Innisfail RCMP detachment said Trudy Yeung, 53, of Edmonton died in the collision. Her passenger, 49-year-old Fong Wong of Toronto, was airlifted via STARS to hospital in Calgary, where she is being treated for serious injuries. Wong’s injuries are not considered life threatening, said Becker.
The two women were about 10 km south of Innisfail when their small car went out of control, crossed the median and rolled, coming to rest on the southbound side of the highway.
Both women were wearing their seatbelts and alcohol was not a factor in the crash, said Becker.
Southbound traffic was rerouted while emergency crews and investigators attended the scene, she said.
Calls to RCMP decline
Red Deer city RCMP calls for service dropped for the fourth consecutive week, according to statistics for week ending on Sunday.
Cpl. Kathe DeHeer said police received 800 calls last week, compared with 891 the previous week and 950 two weeks ago.
Drug investigations continued to be higher than in several previous weeks with police probing 26 calls last week.
Break-ins to businesses and residence fell to a total of 14 from 25 the previous week and 17 two weeks ago. Other stats:
• 39 assaults
• 18 auto thefts
• 165 bylaw complaints
• 16 domestic violence
• six frauds
• 46 mischief
• no robberies
• 32 suspicious persons, vehicles or activities
• 80 thefts
• 121 victim services assistance
MPC approves development
Red Deer’s municipal planning commission has approved the development of an assisted living residence at 3711 51st Ave.
The 1,350-square-foot triplex is intended for residents in need of long-term care. It will be administered by Living Independently For Equality. As part of its approval, the commission granted relaxations of the building’s minimum required front yard and side yard setbacks, and its minimum required lot frontage.
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