(The Canadian Press)

By Sheldon Spackman

trial cancelled

Charges stayed for Sylvan Lake doctor accused of trying to arrange sex with child

Nov 17, 2020 | 11:08 AM

Charges have been stayed for a Sylvan Lake family physician accused of trying to arrange sex with a young girl.

A spokesperson for Alberta Justice and Solicitor General confirms that “the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service has independently determined there was no longer a reasonable likelihood of conviction against Fred Janke and stayed the charges against him Nov. 12.”

Janke, 64, had been scheduled for trial this week in Edmonton.

He was facing counts of making arrangements to commit sexual offenses against a child, making child pornography, and distribution of child pornography.

The staying of the charges means the Crown has stopped prosecution of the case, but has up to one year to bring it back if they choose.

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Janke was arrested in Edmonton on June 28, 2018 following an investigation by the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT). It was alleged that Janke had been engaged in sexually explicit conversations with a person he met online, dating back to October, 2017.

The conversations allegedly progressed to Janke attempting to arrange for sex with the person’s five-year-old daughter. However, ALERT says the daughter did not exist and that Janke had been chatting with a Victoria Police Department undercover operator.

Janke began practicing medicine in Sylvan Lake in 1984 and helped establish the Sylvan Family Health Centre in 1988. At the time of his arrest Janke was president of the Alberta College of Family Physicians.