Police conduct Ontario's largest province-wide sweep of child pornography offenders

(CNW) Police services across Ontario have arrested 22 individuals in the largest coordinated child pornography investigations in the history of Ontario.
    
The investigation and subsequent arrests were carried out by The Provincial Strategy To Protect Children From Sexual Abuse And Exploitation On The Internet. This multi-jurisdictional strategy is made up of the OPP and 18 municipal police services from across Ontario, 14 of which were involved in the sweeping arrests that occurred.
    
At a news conference today, OPP Commissioner Fantino and Provincial Strategy police partners who were instrumental in conducting this province-wide sweep announced details about the investigation and the resulting charges.
    
"Today is a great day for children and communities right across the province," Fantino said. "The exploitation of children - by whatever means - is appalling and unconscionable."
    
"It is appropriate that we are here today, making this announcement on Safer Internet Day," Fantino added. "It is a day recognized in 43 countries world-wide to highlight the need to make the Internet a safe and useful tool for our children to access for both educational and personal use."
    
The investigation began in January 2008, and revealed a large number of individuals who were using the Internet to distribute images of child sexual abuse.
    
As a result of the investigation, 25 search warrants were executed in 16 communities across Ontario, resulting in 73 criminal charges being laid.

Charges are as follows:

     -   Lawrence Bouillon, 44, of Espanola, Ontario, 2 counts Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count Make Available Child Pornography, 1 count Access Child Pornography, 1 count Possession of a controlled substance, to appear in provincial court at 155 Elm Street, Sudbury, Ontario on February 12, 2008.

     -   Jay Hutchinson, 24, of Hamilton, 1 count of Make Available Child Pornography, 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography, to appear in provincial court at 45 Main St., Hamilton, Ontario on Feb. 12, 2008.

     -   Doug MacDonald, 50, of Ottawa, 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count of Make Available Child Pornography, to appear in provincial court at 161 Elgin St., Ottawa, Ontario on February 12, 2008.

     -   Edwin Morris, 63, of Burlington, 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count of Access Child Pornography, 1 count Make Available Child Pornography, to appear in provincial court at 491 Steeles Ave., Milton, Ontario on February 12, 2008.

     -   Michael E. Shipley, 31, of Milton, Ontario, 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count of Access Child Pornography, 1 count Make Available Child Pornography, to appear in provincial court at 491 Steeles Ave., Milton, Ontario on February 12, 2008.

     -   Thomas Webb, 56, of Brantford, Ontario, 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count Make Available Child Pornography, to appear in provincial court at 44 Queen Street, Brantford, Ontario on February 12, 2008.

     -   Wendy Allison Potter, 28, of Whitby, Ontario, 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count Make Available Child Pornography, to appear in provincial court at 242 King St. E., Oshawa, Ontario on February 12, 2008.

     -   Harry James Aseltine, 57, of Oshawa, Ontario, 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count Make Available Child Pornography, 1 count of Possession of a Controlled Substance, to appear in provincial court at 242 King St. E., Oshawa, Ontario on February 12, 2008.

     -   Michael Cherry, 37, of London, Ontario, 4 counts of Possession of Child Pornography, 3 counts of Making Available Child Pornography, to appear in provincial court at 80 Dundas St., London, Ontario on February 12, 2008.

     -   Nathan Armstrong, 27, of Peterborough, Ontario, 2 counts of
         Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count Make Available Child Pornography, to appear in provincial court in Peterborough, Ontario on February, 12, 2008.

     -   Matthew McDougall, 20, of Red Lake, Ontario, 2 counts of Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count of Making Available Child Pornography, to appear in provincial court at 115 Howey St., Red Lake, Ontario on February 12, 2008.

     -   Matthew Brunton, 22, of Cornwall, Ontario, 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count of Access Child Pornography, appeared for bail hearing at provincial court, 29 Second St. E., Cornwall, Ontario on February 11, 2008.

     -   Guilio Carere, 46, of Guelph, Ontario, 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count Make Available Child Pornography, 1 count of Possession of a Controlled Substance, appeared for bail hearing in provincial court at 36 Wyndham St. S., Guelph, Ontario on February 11, 2008.

     -   Keith Kamenz, 29, of Guelph, Ontario, 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count Make Available Child Pornography, appeared for bail hearing at provincial court, 36 Wyndham St. S., Guelph, Ontario on February 11, 2008.

     -   Eric Brown, 25, of Brampton, Ontario, 1 count Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count of Make Available Child Pornography, 1 count of Access Child Pornography, to appear in provincial court at 7755 Hurontario St., Brampton, Ontario on February 12, 2008.

     -   Michael Avison, 33, of Mississauga, Ontario, 1 count Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count of Make Available Child Pornography, 1 count of Access Child Pornography, to appear in provincial court at 7755 Hurontario St., Brampton, Ontario on February 12, 2008.

     -   Stephen Burritt, 39, of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count Make Available Child Pornography, 1 count of Distribution of Child Pornography, 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography For The Purpose Of Distribution, 5 counts of Unsafe Storage of Firearm, 1 count of Unsafe Storage of Ammunition, 1 count of Knowingly Posess A Prohibited Firearm Without Authorization, 1 count of Possession of Prohibited Firearm.

     -   Karl Herman, 64, of Cambridge, Ontario, 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count of Make Available Child Pornography, to appear in provincial court at 200, Frederick St., Kitchener, Ontario on Feb. 12, 2008.

     -   Glenn Albert Laurin, 45, of Toronto, Ontario, 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count of Make Available Child Pornography, to appear in provincial court tomorrow for bail hearing on February 11, 2008 in provincial court at 444 Yonge St., Toronto, Ontario.

     -   Matthew Sankoff, 29, of Toronto, Ontario, 2 counts of Luring Under 14, 1 count of Invitation to Sexual Touch, 1 count of Exposure to person under 14, 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count of Distribution of Child Pornography.

     -   Leonard Legros, 60, of Ottawa, Ontario, 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count of Making Available Child Pornography, to appear in provincial court at 161 Elgin St., Ottawa, Ontario, on Feb. 12, 2008.

     -   One young offender from Hamilton, Ontario who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act has also been charged with 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography.

     Additional arrests are pending and the investigation is continuing.