Police working to identify 14 girls after child porn arrest

Saskatchewan police are working to identify 14 girls who may be victims in an ongoing child porn case.

The girls appeared in images and videos seized from the home of Russell Dennis Wolfe, a 55-year-old Saskatoon man recently arrested on numerous child pornography charges.

“We have images and videos,” said Staff Sgt. Ron Weir with the Saskatchewan Internet Child Exploitation Unit.

“Fourteen girls appear in those images and videos.”

Wolfe was first arrested in May as part of a Canada-wide porn bust known as Operation Snapshot III. He was released following an initial court appearance, but again arrested Thursday following further investigation by the Saskatchewan ICE Unit.

He now faces three counts of making child pornography, two counts of sexual assault and one count of breaching his release conditions on top of the possessing, accessing and distributing child pornography charges he was handed during the country-wide bust.

The incidents likely occurred over the last eight or nine years, Weir said.

“Our priority right now is trying to identify these young girls.”

Operation Snapshot III, which RCMP announced June 19, targeted individuals using file-sharing networks containing child sexual abuse media. The operation led to the rescue of five children and the seizure of nearly two million images and videos, and resulted in more than 150 people across Canada being arrested or investigated.

The ICE Unit, which took part in the operation, is devoted to cases of Internet-based child sexual exploitation. The unit is made up of members from the RCMP, Prince Albert Police Service, Saskatoon Police Service and Regina Police Service.

Wolfe appeared in Saskatoon provincial court Friday morning. He was remanded in custody until July 15.