A South Surrey man who spent more than 25 years as a volunteer for Scouts Canada, has been charged with a number of child pornography offences.
Edward Johannas Vandeyck, 57, has been charged with possession of child pornography, accessing child pornography and two counts of importing/distributing child pornography, according to online court documents.
According to a news release issued Tuesday afternoon, Surrey RCMP’s Internet Child Exploitation Unit opened an investigation Sept. 26 after police identified an individual who was making child pornography available on the internet.
The release says police executed a search warrant Dec. 5 on a residence in South Surrey and charges were sworn against Vandeyck on Feb. 28.
“Vandeyck has been in a position of trust, and has been in direct contact with children in the community as a result of his affiliation with Scouts Canada,” the release notes.
“This information is being released in the interest of public safety and to encourage anyone who may have information which could assist in this investigation to contact investigators by calling 604-599-0502.
According to Vandeyck’s Linkedin page, he worked as a volunteer with Scouts Canada from 1992 to 2018. His work history says he joined as a Scouts leader for his two children, and “I continue to volunteer as I find it challenging and satisfying.”
A Scouts Canada official said Tuesday the organization was not contacted by the RCMP regarding Vandeyck, but that they would support the investigation in “any way that we can.”
On Oct. 26, 2018, Black Press Media published an article that indicates Vandeyck helped construct a 100-foot-tall radio tower for the Jamboree On The Air and Jamboree On The Internet (JOTA-JOTI) communications weekend at Camp McLean in south Langley.
JOTA-JOTI is the largest Scouting event in the world, with more than 1.8 million scouts participating across 150-plus countries. Kids in the program use ham radio, Morse code and other traditional technology methods to communicate.
Representatives from Camp McLean did not return a request for comment made Monday.
Surrey RCMP is the only detachment in B.C. with its own RCMP Internet Child Exploitation Unit, the release notes.
“This team of trained investigators is dedicated to protecting children from harm and vigorously pursuing those who access, distribute, or create child pornography.”
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