OPP: 80 people charged in online child porn bust
Posted Apr 28, 2016 10:08:17 AM.
Last Updated Apr 29, 2016 06:17:20 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Ontario provincial police have laid charges against 80 people, including a young offender, in an online child porn bust.
They’re facing 274 charges, OPP Supt. Don Bell said Thursday, including sexual assault.
“The most fundamental responsibility of any society is to protect its children. Every child has the right to be nurtured and the right to be safe,” Bell said in a statement.
Of those charged, there are a handful of local men.
- 46-year-old Lawrence Margulies of Guelph
- 50-year-old Martin McCormick of Stratford
- 67-year-old Robert Chislette of Cambridge
- 29-year-old Ryan Millen of Woodstock
- 42-year-old from Burford
- 44-year-old from Brantford.
Police identified 20 victims, who have since been offered counselling and other assistance. Police also found nine people who were working the sex trade against their will, including 14-, 15-, and 16-year-olds.
The 80 people arrested are facing charges of possession of child pornography, make available child pornography, distribution of child pornography, making child pornography, and accessing child pornography.
The OPP, the RCMP, South Simcoe Police Service, Stratford Police Service, St. Thomas Police, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Canadian Forces National Investigation Service, and United States Homeland Security Investigations were all involved in the investigation.
The provincial strategy began in August of 2006. Not including these arrests, police say they have laid 11,408 charges against 3,310 people. During that period, 870 child victims have been identified in Ontario. Another 173 child victims were identified internationally.
