Police have handcuffed around thirty men, including a teacher, across Quebec in recent days in connection with child pornography.
This is the result of investigations launched last fall by many police forces, including those of Longueuil, Quebec, Montreal, Laval, Gatineau and the Sûreté du Québec.
The large-scale operation enabled the Integrated Team to Combat Child Pornography, which coordinated the operation, to arrest as many as 31 people.
Searches were carried out at each of their homes and places they used, leading to the confiscation of computer equipment.
In total, more than 275 police officers were mobilized for this major raid.
Among the men who were taken to safety we find Gilles Croteau. He is a secondary school math teacher at the Collège Trinité in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville.
A teacher arrested
Photo from Gilles Croteau’s Facebook profile
Gilles Croteau teaches mathematics at the Collège Trinité in secondary school
The 57-year-old is accused of attracting, producing and distributing child pornography. According to a note to parents received by TVA Nouvelles, he was suspended from the private entity without pay.
Others caught in this major crackdown are repeat child sex offenders.
This is especially true for Christian Jean, who was sentenced to a nine-month suspended sentence in 2021 for sexual assault.
Jean-Jacques Rondeau was sentenced to 6 months in prison in 2017 for accessing child pornography.
Detectives also handcuffed Pierre Laurendeau, a 79-year-old musician and producer who has worked with well-known names in Quebec music such as Michèle Richard, Paul Daraîche, Les Classels and Carmen Campagne.
Photo by Wikimedia Commons, Pierre Laurendeau
Pierre Laurendeau is a 79-year-old Quebec producer and musician.
All ages
The people, all arrested between January 23 and 26, ranged in age from 37 to 79 years.
Photo from Samuel Emery’s Facebook profile
Samuel Emery, 37, is an accountant from Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville.
They all appeared in court, where they face charges including solicitation, invitation to sexual touching, sexual assault, and making, possessing, and distributing child pornography.
“Thanks to the rigorous work of all the police officers and prosecutors involved, such results are possible,” said Lieutenant Marc-Antoine Vachon, head of the Integrated Child Pornography Combat Team.
– With Nora T Lamontagne
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Here are the accused*
- Christian John39 years old, Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs
- Jean Hubert Foisy51 years old, Repentigny
- Jimmy Legault38, Windsor
- Loic Moquin-Leger38 years, Laval
- Even binet39, Saint-Côme–Linière
- Claude Josue Fonrose41 years old, Montreal
- Dominique Dube42 years old, Saint-Jérôme
- Serge Girard47 years old, Gatineau
- Alain Klimszak53 years old, Montreal
- Gilles Croteau57 years old, Saint Hubert
- Yoland Beaudet61 years, Dolbeau-Mistassini
- Jean Jacques Rondeau69 years, Drummondville
- Dominik Fortin41 years, Drummondville
- David Grondin43 years old, Thetford Mines
- Mathieu Carrier43 years old, Montreal
- Mathieu Rolle45 years, Jonquiere
- Alexandre Tucot45 years old, contrecoeur
- Michele Cosette47 years old, Trois Rivières
- Yves Legault48 years old, Longueuil
- Pierre Bouchard58 years old, Quebec
- Victor Rebello61 years old, Montreal
- Pierre Laurendeau79 years old, Repentigny
- Rocky Ether43 years old, Gatineau
- André Maxime Boutot60 years old, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu
- Martin Brother51 years old, Saint-Eustache
- Jacques Normandeau69 years, Laval
- Simon Clotier46 years, Terrebonne
- Samuel Emery37 years old, Saint Bruno
- Stephane Patenaude58 years, Drummondville
- Marcel Boucher68 years, Riviere du Loup
*A 31st person had not yet appeared at the time of publication
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