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Former Alberta police official pleads guilty in child porn case

A former southern Alberta police official has pleaded guilty to two charges in a child pornography case.

TABER — A former southern Alberta police official has pleaded guilty to two charges in a child pornography case.

Curtis Paradee admitted in a Taber courtroom on Tuesday that he used a computer to communicate with a person under 18 for the purpose of committing an offence.

He also pleaded guilty to accessing child pornography.

Several other related charges were dropped.

“Possession of child pornography, making child pornography, distributing child pornography have all be withdrawn by the Crown,” said defence lawyer Douglas Carle.

“In addition, any charges with respect to being in possession of any type of child pornography have all been withdrawn by the Crown.”

Paradee, 42, is the former civilian chairman of the Taber Police Commission. He had been with the commission for five years, the last four months as chairman, when he was charged in May. He resigned with hours of being arrested.

Risk assessment and pre-sentencing reports have been ordered.

Paradee was alleged to have posed as a teenage boy who persuaded a teen girl to perform sexual acts for him to watch on a web video camera.

Carle pointed out the legal age in Canada to consent to sexual relations is 16.

“The complainant was over that age,” the lawyer said. “Where the offence is is that a computer was used for the purpose of that communication. Had he been on the street or on the telephone or anything other than a computer no charges would have been laid, because it would have not been illegal pursuant to the (Criminal) Code.”

Carle suggested Paradee could still be linked to the charges that have now been withdrawn.

“He has...already been found guilty in the eyes of public opinion to the extent of the more serious charges which were laid and have now been withdrawn.”

Paradee is to return to court Tuesday to set a date for sentencing.