Man nabbed in provincewide sweep to be sentenced

One of five Sault Ste. Marie residents arrested last fall after a "massive" province-wide police operation targeting child pornography pleaded guilty in court Monday.

Robert Poile, 20, was convicted of making child pornography available when he appeared before Ontario Court Justice Melanie Dunn.

The offence occurred between March 18 and Aug. 14, 2014.

Dunn heard Poile uploaded two child pornography files from a computer at his Cathcart Street residence at 3:40 a.m. on the March date.

Between Aug. 12 and 14, he used six links to connect folders to chat rooms.

The folders contained numerous images and videos of child pornography, Crown attorney Kelly Weeks said.

A city police officer who observed the files indicated many are graphic pictures of male and female prepubescent children, the prosecutor told Dunn.

Poile confirmed he was responsible and provided a video statement to investigators.

A forensic analysis of his computer found 101 child porn movies, all of which were unique and accessible, Weeks said.

There also were 34 child pornography images, all of which were unique. Thirty-one were not accessible.

Poile, along with three other Sault men and a woman, as well as a Thessalon man, were among 60 people charged across Ontario in September in what the Ontario Provincial Police described as a massive operation to combat child pornography.

The accused were netted through an investigation within the Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet.

At the request of defence counsel Michael Bennett, Poile's sentencing was adjourned so that pre-sentence and Gladu reports can be prepared.

A date for sentencing will be confirmed on May 25.

(File photo)