St. Albert teacher Kerry Glen Avey was found dead yesterday. (Sun Media)

EDMONTON - A St. Albert teacher facing child pornography charges was found dead in the St. Albert RCMP detachment parking lot yesterday morning.

"Our thoughts go with the family of this person," said Cpl. Laurel Kading, with the St. Albert RCMP. "We know this will be a terrible and trying time for them."

About 2:35 a.m., two Mounties returning from patrol found the body of Kerry Glen Avey, 45, lying near his vehicle in the visitor's area of the RCMP detachment parking lot close to the sidewalk, police said.

He appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said, adding a shotgun with a shortened barrel was found near his body. Family have been notified.

Kading said it appeared the man had taken his life just a few minutes before the two officers had returned.

Avey, who was on leave from his teaching post, was expected to appear in court Oct. 7 after he was charged with one count of possession and one count of importation of child pornography.

He had flown into the Edmonton International Airport from Thailand via San Francisco just before 11 p.m. on Aug. 26 when Canada Border Services Agency officers searched his luggage and allegedly discovered a large collection of child pornography CDs and DVDs tucked inside a pouch.

The discs were reportedly purchased in Thailand and each was labelled with a pornographic image, said Sgt. Pat Waldorf of the Northern Alberta Integrated Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit.

St. Albert RCMP's general investigation section and detachment officers, as well as RCMP K Division's forensic identification section, continue to investigate and are assisting the medical examiner's office with the case.

Another child porn case making headlines this week was that of former Winnipeg Blue Bombers president Ross Brown.

The 72-year-old doctor, who had also sat on the board of directors for the Special Olympics, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and was handed a 45-day jail sentence.

Court heard that about 5,000 images and videos of children engaged in sexual acts were seized from his home computer.

CLARA.HO@SUNMEDIA.CA