N.S. attorney general wants answers after innocent man serves 18 months in prison

Nova Scotia’s attorney general says he wants answers on how an innocent man served 18 months in prison for child exploitation charges after investigators mixed up his online username.

Court documents say Brandon Klayme was convicted in 2023 on three charges related to child exploitation material after a complaint from the family of a 12-year-old girl in Wisconsin. 

Wisconsin police linked Klayme to the case through online messages sent via the social media app Kik, and turned the investigation over to Halifax Regional Police. 

A court of appeal decision last month said Klayme’s username was almost identical to that of the suspect, except Klayme’s had one less underscore. 

The court said the case rested on the username evidence and acquitted the Nova Scotia man on all charges. 

Attorney General Scott Armstrong told reporters that he feels terrible for Klayme and his family and said his department will make sure similar incidents can never happen again. 

“I’m not sure how something like this can happen within the system,” Armstrong told reporters Thursday. “I’ve asked the Public Prosecution (Service) to give me a specific briefing on all the steps in this case. And once I have that, I want to make some decisions of what (the) next steps will be.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2026.

By Devin Stevens | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.