A man in Courtenay was arrested and faces charges related to possessing and distributing child pornography.
In a statement released Wednesday, the RCMP’s Integrated Child Exploitation (BC ICE) Unit announced that an investigation that was initiated in September 2018 has yielded some results.
As part of that investigation BC ICE and Comox Valley RCMP executed a search warrant at a residence in Courtenay in May 2020.
The man associated to that residence, Joseph Stephane Mallette, was arrested.
After consideration, BC Prosecution Services have approved several charges relating to child pornography against Mallette.
Charges including one count of accessing child pornography, two counts of distributing child pornography, and two counts of possessing child pornography were approved on September 9, 2020.
Mallette has been released on several conditions, including one that prohibits him from having or using computer devices and restricting his access to the internet.
He is also not allowed to be in the presence of children aged 16 or under and cannot attend places where children are expected to be present.
“If you know Mr. Mallette and observe him to be contravening any of his release conditions, we ask you to contact your local police to report,” said Cpl. Sharen Leung of BC ICE.
He is expected to appear in court on January 21, 2021.
