Child pornography charges filed in New Westminster, BC

A New Westminster, B.C., man has been arrested and charged with possession of child pornography. Police say it is becoming an increasingly common and labor-intensive type of investigation with the rise of AI-generated imagery.

Christien Stringam, 45, was arrested on July 11 and has since been released on court-imposed conditions.

Court records show Stringam appeared in court in New Westminster earlier this month on a single count of possession of child pornography, which allegedly occurred in May 2023.

New Westminster police say major crime investigators arrested the suspect following an investigation into child sexual abuse images posted online.

The investigation began after the department received information from the RCMP’s Integrated Child Exploitation Unit of BC

“Possession of this material provides a depraved incentive for those who distribute and create child sexual abuse material to further their activities,” said New Westminster Police Sgt. Andrew Leaver said this in a press release on Friday.

“It is a cycle that causes far-reaching harm to children, their families, caregivers and communities.”

The conditions for Stringham’s release from custody include a ban on communicating or being alone with anyone under the age of 18, the release said.

“These types of studies are becoming more frequent and cost-intensive, taking into account new factors such as AI-generated images,” Leaver said.

“Currently, the New Westminster Police Department does not have an investigator dedicated to child sexual exploitation investigations.”

Stringham is scheduled to appear in court in New Westminster on November 6.