OPP charge Toronto man with child pornography offences

OPP News Release

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ORILLIA - On Friday July 12, 2013, members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Child Sexual Exploitation Unit and the Orillia OPP Detachment arrested a 49 year old Toronto resident after he attended a hotel in Barrie with a 17 year-old female for the purpose of making child pornography.

Police began their investigation after receiving complaints from a number of teenage girls in the Barrie/Orillia area reporting they were contacted on-line by an unknown person purporting to represent modelling agencies seeking to photograph them in exchange for money. Several paid meetings between the accused and the teens took place in which he photographed the girls for the purposes of making child pornography. During several of these meetings the accused offered the teens money in exchange for sexual services.

On Saturday July 13, 2013, police executed a search warrant at his residence in Toronto and seized several electronic pieces of evidence.

Hugh Alexander (Sandy) THORBURN, 49 years old, of Toronto is charged with one count of Making Child Pornography, one count of Possession of Child Pornography, two counts of Juvenile Prostitution and two counts of Internet Luring. The investigation is continuing and further charges are pending. He will appear for a bail hearing on July 15, 2013 in the Ontario Court of Justice in Barrie, Ontario.

The accused is known to have used several identities including ‘Ryan Wardle’, ‘Lydia Lensky’, ‘Theron Spyra’ and ‘Andre Stein’ to present himself to his victims as the hired photographer. He also has claimed to represent modeling agencies named ‘Model Mayhem’, ‘Model Desire’ and ‘TalentsMLS.com’ to gain the trust and cooperation of the victims.

The OPP is asking anyone who may have had dealings with the above alias or agencies or who may have additional information pertaining to this investigation to contact the OPP Child Sexual Exploitation Unit at (705) 330-3240.

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