Firearms bust leads to child sex abuse images charges
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/02/2022 (1334 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Investigators probing a firearms trafficking ring busted in January have discovered evidence of creation and distribution of child sex abuse images on an accused’s cellphone, police say.
On Jan. 13, the Winnipeg Police Service organized crime unit’s commander said a nine-month investigation resulted in 12 arrests for gun and drug trafficking, as well as the seizure of numerous firearms, drugs and vehicles.
The team who analyzed one of the accused’s phones for evidence related to the gun investigation found the images and turned them over to the internet child exploitation unit, police said Thursday.
One of the accused, who was already in custody, was rearrested and charged with a new set of offences.
“(The evidence was) pretty horrible, from what investigators have told me,” WPS spokesman Const. Rob Carver told the Free Press.
“We’re talking about distribution of child porn, making of child porn, showing images to other individuals (under 18) or attempting to… The full gamut of someone who’s involved in not just possession of child pornography, but in the manufacture and distribution and sharing with youths — images and videos.”
Jason Dean Bigl, 29, was previously charged with possessing and trafficking in firearms and four counts of conspiracy.
He now stands accused of possessing, accessing, importing, distributing and making child sex abuse images, as well as making it available to a person underage. He’s also charged with two counts of counselling to commit an indictable offence.
Asked whether the accused was allegedly obtaining the abusive images locally or importing them, Carver said he believes it was both.
“I can’t give you details… but when you talk to our investigators, some of the stuff is so unbelievably horrific, our investigators get mandatory psychological assessments on a regular basis,” he added.
erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @erik_pindera
Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Erik.
Every piece of reporting Erik produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Erik.
Every piece of reporting Erik produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
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