Man charged in Surrey, B.C., child exploitation investigation

A 41-year-old man in British Columbia is facing multiple charges related to a Surrey police child exploitation investigation.

The Surrey Police Service announced Thursday that Mark Reade had appeared in court earlier in the day and was released from custody.

Court records show Mark Brian Reade was charged with one count each of possession of child sexual abuse and exploitation material, distribution of child sexual abuse and exploitation material, unsafe storage of a firearm and unauthorized possession of a prohibited device.

All of the charges stem from incidents that allegedly occurred in Surrey.

The two child exploitation-related charges allegedly occurred on Dec. 23, 2023, while the weapons-related charges were connected to alleged incidents on June 24, 2025, according to the records.

Officers with the Surrey police Internet Child Exploitation Unit began their investigation in January 2025 following reports of a suspect distributing child abuse materials online, according to a statement from police.

In June of that year, officers executed a search warrant at a residence in South Surrey, where evidence was located and seized, the statement said.

Reade was released from custody with “numerous strict court-imposed conditions,” police said. His next scheduled court appearance is on June 25.