13 children saved in Canada as police bust international child porn ring

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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In November 2009, in partnership with the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), 13 Canadian police services, and international police services, officers from the Child Exploitation Section of the Toronto Police Service’s Sex Crimes Unit launched an international investigation into the online trading of child sexual abuse images and videos.

Known as Project Sanctuary, this investigation began when an undercover officer made contact with a man who was trading child sexual abuse images and videos over the Internet. This information was forwarded to the local law enforcement agency and a 50-year-old man was arrested, charged and has been convicted.

Using intelligence gathered during and after the arrest, undercover officers spent the next year infiltrating a worldwide network of men who were allegedly trading child sexual abuse images and videos and, in some cases, creating these images by allegedly abusing children.

To date, Project Sanctuary has led to the arrest of 57 men worldwide, facing a total of 218 charges. In the United States, 26 men face 56 charges; in Canada, 25 men face 131 charges; and in Europe, 6 men face 31 charges.

In total, 25 children have been rescued: in the United States, 10 children; in Canada, 12 children; and in Europe, 3 children.

The Toronto Police Service would like to thank the following law enforcement agencies for their assistance with Project Sanctuary:

– U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations,
– Royal Canadian Mounted Police – National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre,
– Child Exploitation & Online Protection Centre (UK),
– Bundeskriminalamt (BKA – German Federal Criminal Police Office),
– Ontario Provincial Police,
– Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) – southern & northern Integrated Child Exploitation (ICE) units,
– Vancouver Police Department,
– Saskatchewan Internet Child Exploitation Unit,
– Sudbury Police Service,
– Hamilton Police Service,
– Durham Regional Police Service,
– York Regional Police Service,
– Ottawa Police Service,
– Barrie Police Service,
– Surete du Quebec, and
– Royal Newfoundland Constabulary.

“This operation is an excellent example of what can be accomplished through cooperative police work between the U.S. and Canada. Nothing is more important than our combined efforts to prevent the exploitation of our children," said Tom Blanchard, ICE HSI Attache in Canada. "ICE and the Toronto Police Service have an outstanding relationship and routinely work together on investigations involving criminal activity that affects both our nations.”

Between November 2009 and December 2010, the following men have been arrested and charged, in Canada, as part of Project Sanctuary:

1. Jonah Whitehouse, 31, of Toronto,

– four counts Make available Child Pornography,
– Possession of Child Pornography.

2. Erin Holder (a.k.a. Erin Wilson), 26, of Toronto,

– four counts Make available Child Pornography,
– two counts Possession of Child Pornography,
– Theft of Telecommunication Service,
– Unauthorized Use of Computer.

3. Michael Pellow, 68, of Toronto,

– two counts Make available Child Pornography,
– two counts Possession of Child Pornography,
– Make Child Pornography.

4. Toby Stimpson, 24, of Toronto,

– four counts Make available Child Pornography,
– Possession of Child Pornography.

5. Trevor Partridge, 44, of Bowmanville,

– three counts Make Child Pornography,
– two counts Make available Child Pornography,
– Possession of Child Pornography,
– Personation with intent,
– Luring a Child (under 16).

Some of these charges are in addition to charges laid against Trevor Partridge in August 2010. See previous release.

6. Richard Dyde, 47, of Toronto,

– two counts Make available Child Pornography,
– Possession of Child Pornography,
– Make Child Pornography.

7. Christopher Holowatyj, 20, of Newmarket,

– four counts Make available Child Pornography,
– Possession of Child Pornography.

8. Randy Miller, 40, of Napanee,

– two counts Make available Child Pornography,
– two counts Possession of Child Pornography,
– Sexual Assault.

9. David Caza, 47, of Kamloops, British Columbia,

– Possession of Child Pornography,
– Distribution of Child Pornography,
– Breach of Recognizance.

10. Kevin Sheppard, 41, of Barrie,

– Make available Child Pornography,
– Possession of Child Pornography.

11. Warren Robert Allen, 52, of Vancouver, British Columbia,

– Possession of Child Pornography,
– Distribution of Child Pornography.

12. Peter Scott Wilson, 47, of Vancouver, British Columbia,

– two counts Distribution of Child Pornography,
– Possession of Child Pornography,
– Accessing Child Pornography.

13. Daniel Clayton, 29, of Calgary, Alberta,

– Possession of Child Pornography,
– Accessing Child Pornography,
– Make available Child Pornography.

14. Andrew John Tettersell, 33, of Sylvan Lake, Alberta,

– Possession of Child Pornography,
– Accessing Child Pornography,
– Make available Child Pornography,
– Make Child Pornography.

15. Nels Lyndon Sorensen, 43, of Regina, Saskatchewan,

– Possession of Child Pornography,
– Make available Child Pornography.

In addition, the following men have been arrested, charged and convicted, in Canada, relating to Project Sanctuary:

1. Robin Barrett, 51, of Conception Bay South, Newfoundland,

– Possession of Child Pornography,
– Distribute Child Pornography.

2. Randall Philip Steininger, 21, of Regina, Saskatchewan,

– Possession of Child Pornography,
– Make available Child Pornography.

3. Douglas Sean Richards, 46, of Richmond Hill,

– Make available Child Pornography,
– Possession of Child Pornography.

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