North Bay is not immune when it comes to the battle against child sexual abuse as police completed several investigations in 2018 with regard to the possession or making available of child sexual abuse material.
The most recent investigation was completed on November 26 when North Bay Police executed a search warrant on a local residence. Arrested was Wade Bentley, 54. He is currently in custody pending a bail hearing on charges consisting of;
- Two counts of Possession of Child Pornography;
- Two counts of making Available Child Pornography; and
- Two counts of Accessing Child Pornography
Detective Constable Buchanan of the North Bay Police Service’s Criminal Investigations Section is the Investigating Officer. Buchanan is assigned many of this type of investigations locally.
“These investigations are complex and lengthy in nature. Police efforts are committed to this type of crime however parents need to educate themselves to keep children safe and keep predators out of our real and virtual communities.”
The North Bay Police Service is part of the Ontario Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet.
It is comprised of the OPP Child Sexual Exploitation Unit, 26 municipal police services including North Bay, and the Ministries of the Attorney General and Community Safety and Correctional Services. The Provincial Strategy provides a provincially coordinated effort in recognizing regional needs and issues, as well as the challenges associated with geographically dispersed victims throughout Ontario.
At a media conference today in Vaughan, OPP along with the 26 police agencies of the Provincial Strategy announced the results of investigations during the month of November across the entire province of Ontario.
A total of 267 judicial authorizations were obtained, resulting in 551 charges against 122 persons, including 11 youth who cannot be identified under terms of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Charges include:
- Sexual Assault,
- Sexual Interference,
- Invitation to Sexual Touching,
- Possession of Child Pornography,
- Make Available Child Pornography,
- Distribution of Child Pornography,
- Making Child Pornography,
- Accessing Child Pornography,
- Luring, and
- Making Sexually Explicit Material Available to a Child.
In addition, 55 victims were identified during the investigations and referred to appropriate community-based resources for assistance. Police also seized a total of 17 firearms, three of which were loaded handguns.
Anyone with information that may assist police with this type of investigation can contact the North Bay Police Service at 705-497-5555.
For those who wish to remain anonymous, contact Near North Crime Stoppers, by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
