ST. ALBERT, Alta — A high school teacher in St. Albert is facing additional sex charges this week after another alleged victim contacted authorities.
Bryce Hughes, 28, of Edmonton was charged June 14 with sexual exploitation and luring a child after another alleged victim was identified, St. Albert RCMP said in a statement released this week.
Hughes was originally charged on March 31 with agreeing to or arranging a sexual offence against a child; making sexually explicit material available to a child; making child pornography; and possession of child pornography.
“St. Albert RCMP continues to believe there may be additional victims and encourage those individuals to come forward,” RCMP said in a statement.
Hughes is a teacher and coach at Paul Kane High School.
The St. Albert RCMP said they opened a historical sexual exploitation investigation on Feb. 23 after receiving information that a minor had been sexually exploited by a teacher. That investigation led to the aforementioned charges being laid against Hughes.
In an email to The Gazette in March, St. Albert RCMP Cpl. Morgan Kyle said the alleged offences occurred between 2018 and 2021.
St. Albert Public Schools superintendent Krimsen Sumners said in March that Hughes was removed from Paul Kane and suspended from teaching in mid-February as soon as the district learned of the allegations against him. An internal investigation by administration and the Alberta Teachers’ Association is underway. Hughes has been directed to not have any contact with anyone associated with St. Albert Public Schools.
Hughes has been released from police custody with the conditions that he not have contact with the victim and not seek or obtain employment or volunteer positions which involve being in a position of trust or authority toward people under the age of 18.
Hughes is set to appear in St. Albert Provincial Court on June 20.
“As these matters are now before the courts, no further details surrounding these charges can be provided,” RCMP said.
