Grande Prairie man, 34, charged after teenage boys lured over social media
Police believe there may be other victims in Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories and Australia
A Grande Prairie man who posed as a teenage girl to lure teenage boys on social media is facing child exploitation charges after allegedly luring and trying to sexually assault a teenage boy.
Police said they have identified two victims. They believe there may be other victims in Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories and Australia.
"We anticipate more victims and more charges," Cpl. Dave Knight of the ICE unit said in a video interview supplied by ALERT.
Jonathan Karl Bruenig, 34, was arrested Jan. 23, the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams said Wednesday.
The offences against the teenage boy were reported to police by a concerned relative, ALERT said.
ALERT's Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit alleges that Bruenig used a number of online personas, often posing as a teenage girl on social media to lure teenage boys.
"Breunig was mostly posing as a teenage girl," Knight said. "He was using the photos and names of innocent third parties to construct these personas."
Involved with junior hockey teams
Word of the charges against Bruenig made its way through Grande Prairie-area arenas, as he was involved with junior hockey teams.
"You never expect to hear things like that about somebody you've seen around the rink or have met," said Kyle Chapple, head coach and general manager for the County of Grande Prairie JDA Kings. "When I originally first got the call about this, it was shocking."
"We don't know what happened once these pictures and videos were given to the suspect," Knight said. "Often, videos and pictures can stay on the internet, in cyberspace, forever, so it can cause the victims to be re-victimized, over and over again."
While the investigation mainly involved Facebook profiles Knight urged parents to be vigilant in monitoring their children's activities on all social media platforms, "because predators don't just choose one platform."
Bruenig is also accused of attempting to make arrangements to meet with the boys.
Knight said ALERT began its investigation at the end of November.
Probe reaches N.W.T., B.C., Australia
Bruenig was arrested at his home in Grande Prairie with the help of Grande Prairie RCMP, but ICE is also working with its partner agencies to investigate similar offences in the Northwest Territories, northern British Columbia and Australia.
He has lived in the Grande Prairie and Kelowna areas.
Hopefully nothing bad happened to our players in the past or present.- Kyle Chapple
Bruenig worked in sales and marketing with the JDA Kings for a few months during the summer of 2012.
"His involvement with our club was small and only for a couple of months," Chapple said.
"He was never associated with any of the players face to face or at any events or anything like that. But it is still something we will still look into as an organization."
Since leaving the club, Bruenig has attended home and away games, Chapple said.
That worries him. "Hopefully nothing bad happened to our players in the past or present."
Bruenig's role in hockey worrisome
He said the charges against Bruenig will be the subject of conversations in all area rinks.
"People are going to be awfully concerned about who's working in our arenas and for our hockey teams," he said.
"It's usually a pretty awesome place to play hockey. This is a very unfortunate incident that's going to put a damper on it for the time being."
Bruenig also had some involvement with the Beaverlodge Blades two or three years ago, though what his role was is unclear.
Bruenig has been in custody since his arrest. He is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 12.
He faces these criminal charges:
- two counts of child luring;
- two counts of making child pornography;
- two counts of distributing child pornography;
- two counts of possessing child pornography.
ICE is also looking to identify and speak with potential victims. Anyone with information about this investigation is encouraged to call 780-509-3363 or submit information anonymously at cybertip.ca.
The Northwest Territories RCMP have also announced that they are reviewing case files that may be related to the investigation.They are asking anyone in the territory with information to contact them at (867) 669-1111.