In 2004, the Mountie -- then a junior constable with the North Vancouver detachment -- faced allegations he tried to negotiate sexual favours from a 15-year-old girl.

Khomphet (Kam) Khamphoune, now 33, was later cleared after a four-day hearing before a disciplinary board of senior RCMP officers.

Now Khamphoune has been suspended with pay while Richmond Mounties investigate allegations of links to child pornography.

Police would not say whether the allegations involve possession, distribution or production of child pornography.

No charges have been laid.

Court records show that a search warrant was executed at Khamphoune's East Vancouver home on Jan. 27. Reached at his home yesterday, Khamphoune declined to comment.

Cpl. Peter Thiessen of Richmond RCMP said police are taking the allegations extremely seriously and hope to complete their probe within a week.

Prior to his career with the RCMP, Khamphoune, who is married, worked in Ottawa for a company that managed databases for the Department of National Defence. Later he worked for Citizenship and Immigration Canada and did a brief stint in the Canadian military. He joined North Vancouver RCMP in 2000.

During his May 2004 hearing, Khamphoune flatly denied all allegations that he offered money in exchange for a sexual favour. RCMP Supt. John Reid, representing the disciplinary board, concluded that the teen's testimony was not credible.

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© The Vancouver Province 2007