A New Westminster, B.C., man was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography in what police say is an increasingly common and resource-intensive type of investigation with the rise in AI-generated images.

Christien Stringam, 45, was arrested on July 11 and has since been released on court-ordered conditions.

Court records show Stringam appeared in New Westminster court earlier this month on a single count of possession of child pornography, which allegedly occurred in May 2023.

The New Westminster Police Service said major crimes investigators arrested the suspect following an investigation into child sexual abuse images posted online.

The investigation began after the ministry received information from the RCMP’s Integrated Child Exploitation Unit in British Columbia.

“Possession of this material provides a depraved incentive for those who distribute and create child sexual abuse material to continue their activities,” said New Westminster Police Sgt. Andrew Leaver said in a press release Friday.

“It is a cycle that causes considerable harm to children, their families, caregivers and communities.”

Stringham’s conditions of release include being prohibited from communicating or being alone with anyone under the age of 18, according to the release.

“These types of investigations are becoming more common and require more resources given new factors such as AI-generated images,” Leaver added.

“Currently, the New Westminster Police Service does not have an investigator dedicated to child sexual exploitation investigations.”

Stringham is scheduled to appear in a New Westminster court on November 6.