(Montreal) Five individuals who allegedly took part in a “hunt” for suspected pedophiles in recent months were arrested in Gatineau on Thursday and face several charges including, ironically, distribution of child pornography.
The Service de police de la Ville de Gatineau (SPVG) indicated that it had been made aware that a phenomenon of “pedophile hunters” was taking place on its territory in January.
Since the appearance of the phenomenon, the police force indicates that it has received a dozen complaints from citizens concerned about the situation or having been victims of an offense in connection with the actions of the group.
The modus operandi of the suspects was to post photos of minors on dating apps like Tinder or Grinder to lure alleged pedophiles.
“It’s so easy, it’s horribly disgusting. I can tell you that I’m talking over 75 people who are willing to fuck a 14 year old. It’s awful, ”described one of the initiators of the movement, Joey Chartrand, 25, in an interview given to 104.7 FM, in Outaouais, at the end of January.
An illegal modus operandi
The members of the group, who called themselves “paedobusters”, then went to meet these people lured on these applications to confront them. People trapped in this way would have finally lodged a complaint against the group.
Moreover, their modus operandi was illegal in itself. “There were exchanges of photos during the conversations [en ligne] and what the law says, when you share a photo, that it’s explicit pornographic material and you claim that it represents a minor, even though it really isn’t, it becomes child pornography. It is considered as such, even if in truth it does not really represent the body of a minor, ”said agent Andrée East, of the SPVG, in an interview with The Canadian Press.
In addition, the SPVG discourages such initiatives “considering the risks incurred for the people who participate in them”.
“The SPVG recalls that under no circumstances can a person take the law into their own hands, even if they are the victim of a crime, whatever it may be”, it is specified, adding that the instigator of this movement.
38 counts
No less than thirty-eight counts have been authorized by the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DPCP) against the five individuals targeted by this police operation.
Joey Chartrand, Jessy Chartrand, 27, Normand Philip Payant, 26, André Chevalier-Robitaille, 40, and Liam Georges Dupont, 24, will face charges of distributing child pornography, criminal harassment, intimidation and kidnapping.
Search warrants executed as part of this operation also led to the seizure of computer equipment, improperly stored firearms and a small amount of cannabis.
The five individuals will remain detained until their appearance before the Court of Quebec, which should take place on Thursday.