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A pair of Saskatoon men are facing charges related to child pornography.
According to the Saskatchewan Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit, the first investigation began in January, and officers searched a home in Saskatoon on February 25, seizing electronic devices for analysis.
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As a result of the investigation, a 75-year-old Saskatoon man is now facing two charges of possession of child pornography. He was scheduled to appear in court on Friday morning in Saskatoon.
The second, unrelated case began in October of 2024. Officers with the ICE Unit executed a search warrant at a Saskatoon home on Thursday, and examined electronic devices at the scene.
A 25-year-old Saskatoon man is now charged with making child pornography, making child pornography available, and two counts of possession of child pornography.
He appeared in Saskatoon Provincial Court on Thursday, and was remanded ahead of a second appearance set for Monday, police said.
ICE investigates crimes involving the abuse or exploitation of children on the Internet, and is comprised of investigators from the Saskatchewan RCMP, Regina Police Service, Saskatoon Police Service, and Prince Albert Police Service.
Earlier this year, the ICE Unit noted that it is dealing with more investigations than ever before.
During the 2021-2022 fiscal year, the ICE Unit investigated 853 new files. That number grew to 931 the following year, and in 2023-2024, ICE was tasked with investigating 1,0003 files.
During the current fiscal year, the police task force said it is on track to reach 1,317 new files.
“Surpassing last year’s number of files isn’t just a statistic, it’s a testament to the growing challenges we as ICE investigators face,” staff sergeant Tim Failler, a Saskatoon police officer and ICE unit co-ordinator, said in a statement.
Failler added that new technology means exploitative material can be more easily shared and accessed than ever before.
“Technology makes acquiring child sexual assault material easy for offenders, it’s no longer in the shadows. You can get it within seconds and with very little effort,” he said.
“You don’t need to have any special technological training to be an offender, your phone is the pathway.”
