Three Sudbury men charged with child porn

Three Sudbury men are facing child pornography-related charges following a provincewide co-ordinated investigation.

Charges against the three men, ages 35, 42 and 47, include luring, possession of child pornography, making available child pornography and accessing child pornography. Their names are available on the Ontario Provincial Police's website at http://www.opp.ca/media/child_pornography/Addendum-ChargedPersons-2Feb2012.pdf.

Greater Sudbury Police Service will meet with media Feb. 3 to release further details about the investigation. All three men have attended their individual bail hearings, and their court dates are set for early this month, according to GSPS media officer Const. Meghan O'Malley.

Through the investigation, led by the Ontario Provincial Police, police executed at total of 76 search warrants, resulting in 213 charges against 60 people, including three young offenders. Charges include sexual assault, child luring, possession of child pornography, making available child pornography, distribution of child pornography, making child pornography and accessing child pornography.

In addition, 22 victims have been identified, and a quantity of drugs and weapons have been seized during the investigation. Additional arrests are pending and additional victims will likely be identified as the investigation continues.

Members of the OPP Child Sexual Exploitation Unit encourage parents and guardians to proactively increase their awareness of Internet safety issues.

Since August 2006, there have been 16,131 investigations completed under a provincial strategy designed to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation on the Internet. Since its inception, 5,837 charges have been laid against 1,867 people. The strategy was created in response to the Ontario government’s request that police develop a co-ordinated approach to combat Internet crimes against children.

The stated goal of the strategy was for the province to respond to this growing issue as a cohesive, united team, rather than having each municipal police force develop different approaches to deal with child pornography, luring and child sexual abuse on the Internet, according to the OPP.

The Provincial Strategy aims to effectively address the “complete picture” of child sexual abuse and exploitation — from the outset of an investigation, to offender apprehension and management, effective prosecution and sentencing, victim identification and support, as well as prevention and awareness.

Prior to the strategy, there was no mechanism in place for the vital co-ordination of intelligence, investigative support and information sharing.

The OPP Child Sexual Exploitation Section administers the strategy and has formed a joint management team, consisting of senior officers from the OPP and 18 police services, including Greater Sudbury Police Service, as well as Ontario’s Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services and the Ministry of the Attorney General.

Posted by Arron Pickard