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A man who was subject of a Crime Stoppers public appeal two months ago is now behind bars and facing multiple charges connected to child pornography and child luring.
Police say 46-year-old Patrick Michael Waldrum was finally arrested on warrants in Brooks, Alta., and is due to appear in court in Kelowna today.
According to the Kelowna RCMP, Waldrum has been charged with possession of child pornography and luring a child.
“Child luring charges require evidence that the offender communicated via telecommunication with a person under the age of 18 for the purposes of facilitating the commission of an offence under section 163.1 of the Criminal Code,” an RCMP release explained.
Investigators with the Kelowna RCMP’s Integrated Child Exploitation unit worked closely with international law enforcement partners in this case, as Waldrum’s alleged offences “spanned several different countries.”
Sgt. Tim Russell said the collaboration was “key to the success of this investigation” and to combat “borderless online crime.”
“The online sexual exploitation of children continues to be an emerging concern in our society,” he noted. “The Kelowna RCMP continues to adapt its investigative strategies to ensure public safety and that offenders are held accountable.”