Spruce Grove man charged after allegedly attempting to arrange sex with minor: ALERT

A Spruce Grove man is facing multiple child sexual offence charges after being arrested for allegedly attempting to arrange sex with a minor.

ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) investigators arrested the 47-year-old man on Oct. 2 with the assistance of the Calgary Police Service, ALERT said in a Thursday news release.

ICE investigators say they’ve been engaged in online conversations with the suspect since August 2026, where the suspect allegedly engaged in sexually explicit conversations and made arrangements to meet for sex, even going as far as offering to bring a “day-after pill.”

“Once the suspect moved the conversation from social media to private messaging, it quickly became sexually explicit, even despite the suspect being alerted that he was chatting with a youth,” said Staff Sgt. Gordon MacDonald in the release. “Trying to steer users towards private messaging applications is a tactic often employed to evade built-in platform securities of mainstream social media services.”

ALERT has charged Franklin Lopez, 47, with making arrangements or an agreement to commit sexual offences against a child, making child sexual abuse and exploitation material, invitation to sexual touching, and luring a child.

Lopez was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 28.

While no children were harmed in this instance, ALERT expressed concern that this might not be an isolated event and is exploring the possibility of other victims. A forensic analysis of Lopez’s electronic devices is underway.

Anyone with information about this investigation, or any child exploitation offence, is encouraged to contact local police or cybertip.ca

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