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A former junior hockey executive in Alberta has been arrested and charged with sexually exploiting three players.
RCMP say Tyler King had been working at SUNY Oswego in New York state and was arrested Friday at a U.S. border crossing in Kingston, Ont.
The 39-year-old has been charged with luring, sexual exploitation, and making child sexual abuse and exploitation material.
The three complainants, all under 18 at the time, were junior A players from Saskatchewan and Alberta and part of the Okotoks Oilers Athletic Association.
King, who worked with various teams in Alberta and British Columbia, oversaw non-hockey operations for the Okotoks Oilers and with the British Columbia Hockey League.
WATCH | Two-year investigation leads to charges against former junior hockey executive:
Hockey staffer who worked in Alberta, B.C. and Sask. accused of sex crimes
Alberta RCMP announced on Monday it has charged 39-year-old Tyler King in connection with offences involving under-age Junior A hockey players. As CBC’s Terri Trembath reports, RCMP say the investigation started in 2024 when a former Okotoks Oilers Hockey Association employee came forward with information.
Mounties say the Oilers informed them about the allegations against King in June 2024.
On June 21, 2024, the Oilers issued a statement on their website announcing King’s departure from the organization and wishing him well. The page has since been taken down.
“The Okotoks Oilers would like to thank Tyler King for his tireless efforts during his three seasons in our organization as Assistant GM, Business Operations,” said the statement.
It said King had been in charge of overseeing all off-ice operations.
Report made after King left Oilers
Speaking to the media on Monday afternoon, Cpl. Dan Campbell said he could not confirm if the Oilers knew of the allegations against King before he left the organization.
“I’m not aware of how the timeline lines up. However, I do know that the Okotoks Oilers reported this as soon as they became aware of it, and we became engaged.”
In a statement released Monday afternoon, a spokesperson for the Oilers said the organization had been made aware of charges against a former employee, but did not name King.
“The Okotoks Oilers were not aware of these allegations while this individual was with our organization,” said Brent Lauinger, chairman and governor with the Oilers.
“After his departure, we received information that, while unverified at the time, raised enough concern that we felt it needed a closer look. We reviewed it carefully and passed it to the RCMP.”
King was hired by the Nanaimo Clippers in June 2024 as the vice-president of business operations, according to a release on the organization’s website.
Campbell said the Clippers were “likely not aware” of the allegations against King at the time.
RCMP say the investigation is ongoing.