Two children at centre of Sask. Amber Alert found safe in South Dakota, suspect arrested
The Meade County Sheriff’s Office in South Dakota said it has arrested the man wanted in connection with an Amber Alert in Saskatchewan.
Police confirmed to CTV News that 50-year-old Benjamin Martin Moore has been arrested.
Moore, as well as his common-law spouse, are currently in police custody in South Dakota.
The two children at the centre of the alert were recovered safely. All four were located at a campground near Sturgis, S.D.
The children are now in state custody and officials are making plans to return them to what they said is their rightful custodian.
RCMP confirmed the four people involved in the alert were located.
“There was most definitely a collective sigh of relief amongst all agencies involved in bringing these two young children to safety,” Chief Superintendent Tyler Bates of the Saskatchewan RCMP’s South District said in a Wednesday news release.
“Obviously, there is a long road ahead and a number of investigative avenues that need to be followed up on. We want to assure the public that this investigation remains a priority for the Saskatchewan RCMP.”
South Dakota’s Amber Alert was issued late on Tuesday night and lasted about 90 minutes before they were found.
The Amber Alert was issued for the two children at the request of Shaunavon RCMP at approximately 7:20 p.m. on August 8.
Speaking Tuesday, RCMP confirmed Moore has a history of sexual offences against children and vulnerable persons.
Moore was previously charged and convicted of sexually touching a young child under the age of 16 and possessing child pornography in June 2009, according to provincial court records.
Court records show he was sentenced to two years at the Saskatchewan Federal Penitentiary in Prince Albert for those convictions.
Shaunavon RCMP was asked to assist the Ministry of Social Services with an investigation into allegations surrounding Moore. Before police could question him, Moore, the two children and their mother had vacated their residence, RCMP said.
Authorities visited the home in Eastend on Aug. 5 but it had already been vacated.
The ministry then sought an apprehension order for the children, resulting in the Amber Alert.
RCMP said Moore failed to report a change of main or secondary residence to the registration centre, as required by the sex offender information registry act.
As a result, Moore was charged and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Following the alert, RCMP said an individual reported an incident involving Moore to police.
“We are encouraging anyone else who may have been a victim of Benjamin Moore to file a report with the police,” Chief Superintendent Tyler Bates of the Saskatchewan RCMP’s South District said Tuesday.
“We take these matters seriously and we want to ensure survivors are supported.”
RCMP clarified in a Wednesday news release that authorities had visited Moore’s residence to execute a search warrant on Aug. 5. The date was previously reported as Aug. 2 by the Saskatchewan RCMP.
With files from CTV News Regina's Allison Bamford
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Luxury cruise line selling world cruise suite for US$1.7 million
Luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises is raising their price tag to eye-watering levels, with a suite on an upcoming 140-day world voyage costing US$1.7 million.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
A Filipino villager is nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace
A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
'Oppenheimer' finally premieres in Japan to mixed reactions and high emotions
'Oppenheimer' finally premiered Friday in the nation where two cities were obliterated 79 years ago by the nuclear weapons invented by the American scientist who was the subject of the Oscar-winning film. Japanese filmgoers' reactions understandably were mixed and highly emotional.