A doctor who has practiced in Sylvan Lake for three decades is accused of trying to arrange sex with a five-year-old girl.
Dr. Fred Janke, 62, was arrested Thursday with the help of the Edmonton Police Service following a joint investigation between the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team’s Internet Child Exploitation Unit and the Victoria Police Department.
Janke has been charged with making arrangements to commit sexual offences against a child, making child pornography and distribution of child pornography.
ALERT Staff Sgt. Stephen Camp said the investigation and charges relate solely to online conversations.
“The investigation just concluded Thursday with the arrest,” said Camp. “We have no information to suggest children were harmed or offended upon.”
The charges stem from the content of the online conversations.
Janke had been engaged in sexually explicit conversations with a person he met online starting in October 2017 up until Thursday, according to ALERT. These conversations progressed and allegedly led to Janke attempting to arrange for sex with the person’s five-year-old daughter.
However, the daughter didn’t exist and Janke was speaking with a Victoria Police Department undercover officer.
Camp said he got “very far” in his conversation to make arrangements for sex with the child.
Victoria PD’s ICE unit had been conducting a proactive, online investigation involving a website known to host online chat rooms geared towards child sex.
Once Victoria ICE investigators determined the suspect was based in Alberta, the information was relayed to ALERT’s ICE unit.
Camp said he was arrested at his rental property in Edmonton, but he primarily lived in Sylvan Lake. He was co-operative when he was arrested.
A statement from the University of Alberta, said Janke has been placed on leave and his duties as the associate professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry have been reassigned.
“The university is committed to providing a safe working and learning environment, and will take all appropriate steps to ensure the safety and well-being of the university community.”
Steve Buick, Alberta College of Physicians and Surgeons spokesman, said they were working to get Janke to voluntarily withdraw from the college after the charges came to light.
“The damage to confidence is so great that, at least while the charges are pending, we can’t let him practice,” said Buick, adding they expect he would withdraw.
“If for some reason he doesn’t agree, we will suspend his licence using the emergency powers we have under the Health Professions Act.”
The Alberta College of Family Physicians said they were shocked and saddened by the news today in a written statement. “Due to the gravity of this matter, we will not be available for further comment.”
Janke is listed as a physician with the Sylvan Family Health Centre. He completed his degree in medicine at the University of Calgary in 1982. In 1988, he established the health centre with two other physicians. He was also an associate professor in the department of family medicine at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and the director of rural and regional health in the community engagement division.
The Sylvan Family Health Centre is expected to have enough capacity to see patients with its current staff, according to the college. Patients of Janke are asked to contact the health centre and arrange to see another doctor.
Janke was the president of the Alberta College of Family Physicians. He has been removed from the position and president elect Dr. Vishal Bhella has assumed the role.
mcrawford@reddeeradvocate.com
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