Progress is being made in a case against a former Sudbury reporter facing child sexual abuse material charges.
Callam Senyk-O’Flanagan (also known as Callam Rodya) faces 10 charges, including five counts of possession of child pornography, two counts of accessing child pornography, three counts of distribution/sending child pornography, and one count of cocaine possession.
On Wednesday, Senyk-O’Flanagan’s defence lawyer, Michael Lacy, appeared via Zoom to set a date for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 21. That date will be confirmed Aug. 24. A judicial pre-trial was held in June.
Senyk-O’Flanagan was arrested Feb. 13, 2019, following a months-long investigation by Greater Sudbury Police’s Cyber Crime Unit. Police said he downloaded child pornography using a file-sharing site between October 2018 and February 2019.
A search warrant of his home also resulted in the seizure of a small baggy containing what was suspected to be cocaine.
Lacy said the Crown offered to deal with the drug charge by way of diversion, however, “but I’m not inclined to recommend anything to my client, given the egregious conduct of the officer,” he said. “I’m asking (the Crown) to reassess the matter.”
Senyk-O’Flanagan was released on bail on Feb. 14, 2019, and has been living in Guelph under strict conditions.
