A former Saskatchewan resident who was arrested in the United States in August of 2022, ending an AMBER Alert for two children reported as missing from Eastend, has pleaded guilty to child pornography charges in South Dakota in connection to the case.
Benjamin Martin Moore was originally arrested at a campground east of Sturgis, South Dakota, near the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The case had started when Moore, along with his common-law partner and her two children, left Eastend. They illegally crossed over to the United States near Turner, Montana, by driving through a barbed wire fence on August 3rd, 2022.
The children were the subjects of an AMBER Alert that was issued when the provincial Ministry of Social Services received an apprehension order for the kids. When officials had gone to the home in Eastend for a welfare check, they found it vacant.
The RCMP extended the AMBER Alert to South Dakota, believing the children along with their mother had gone to that state with Moore.
In the court filings in South Dakota last week, it was learned a couple who were staying at an adults-only campground near Sturgis had noticed the children. They alerted the security about the children, and then later learned they were the subjects of the AMBER Alert.
Moore was arrested by authorities in South Dakota and was charged with transporting illegal aliens as well as possession of child pornography, which was discovered and seized at the time of his arrest.
Under the plea deal reached with authorities in the United States, Moose faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison. He is also facing charges in Canada for failing to report a change of address, required for convicted sex offenders, and breaching a previous court order to not have weapons.
Moore had previously been convicted of sexual interference with a minor in Regina Provincial Court in 2009 and was sentenced to 26 months in custody. He was also jailed again in 2011 for breaching a recognizance order.
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