Authorities say they have laid charges against a man from Blackfalds in connection with an inappropriate relationship he had with a 16-year-old girl from Pennsylvania.

Brian Haberman, 40, was arrested on October 7 by members of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit with the assistance of Blackfalds and Red Deer RCMP.

Haberman has been charged with:

Child luring

Making sexually explicit material available to a minor

Possessing child pornography

Accessing child pornography

Making child pornography

The investigation into the case began in March 2015, when ALERT received a tip from Cybertip.ca, the country’s tipline for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children.

Upon further investigation, police learned that Haberman traveled to Pennsylvania for the express purpose of having sex with the victim.

A search of computers and electronic devices seized from Haberman’s home discovered sexually explicit photos of the victim, who was 15 when the relationship began.

Police say they are still investigating and believe it is possible there could be other victims involved.

Anyone with information about this particular investigation, or any other similar offence, is encouraged to contact the police.

“Society has a collective responsibility to protect children, and I urge anyone with information about children being sexually offended or preyed upon to report it. Your information could rescue a child from abuse,” said S/Sgt. John Guigon with ALERT.

Haberman is scheduled to appear in court on October 16.