A local Mountie has been charged with evidence tampering following a January internal investigation that police revealed was linked to child pornography.

Khomphet Khamphoune, 33, made his first appearance in Richmond provincial court Thursday morning, where he's facing six criminal charges.

The most serious charge against him relates to evidence tampering, punishable by up to five years in prison.

According to court documents, Khamphoune is charged with committing fraud or breach of trust by "tampering with material held by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as evidence in the investigation of criminal offences" between March 2006 and January 2007.

He's also charged with possession of stolen property, namely "passports, flares, microphones, surveillance equipment and gas masks" belonging to the RCMP, knowing that this property was obtained through the commission of an indictable offence.

Khamphoune is also charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm, a semi-automatic rifle, knowingly possessing a prohibited weapon without a licence, possessing a firearm other than where authorized and unauthorized transfer of weapons or ammunition (a Smith & Wesson .44-calibre revolver and a shotgun) without authority.

Khamphoune's lawyer, Jack Harris, could not be reached for comment.

The case will be prosecuted by special prosecutor Daniel Scanlan, from the Ministry of the Attorney General's criminal justice branch. Scanlan was away from the office and unavailable for comment.