Brandon police expect more victims in child porn case

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This article was published 07/02/2025 (413 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BRANDON — A massive collection of pornographic imagery of children was discovered after police raided a home in Brandon and arrested a man who was involved in foster parenting and connected with a daycare.

Police are withholding the accused’s name to protect the identify of the children who lived at the home and attended the daycare.

Police Chief Tyler Bates told media on Friday that officers will have to spend hundreds of hours sifting through the material from several devices connected to the production of child pornography.

“When you’re developing reasonable probable grounds with respect to offences being committed, you look at all available forms of evidence,” said Bates. “There are many interviews that remain. There is, as I’ve indicated, a plethora of electronic devices that need to be analyzed.”

Bates said he could not speculate about the number of children who had been victimized, but believes it included children from the daycare and foster home.

He said police are aware that children outside of the home could have been targeted, such as children that went to the house on play dates.

“As we continue to investigate, as we obtain further statements, as we review further video and electronic devices, there could potentially, and with all probability, be further offences that are revealed.”

The 37-year-old accused was originally charged with offences that include making child pornography, possession of child pornography, accessing child pornography, distributing child pornography and sexual assault. While the man was jailed at the Brandon Correctional Centre, police added sexual interference charges, which is defined under the Criminal Code as touching someone under the age of 16 for a sexual purpose.

“That’s the reality, the sad reality of what was transpiring in this residence and why there was such imminent and urgent need to (execute) that search warrant,” said Bates.

Bates would not specify where police discovered evidence that led to those additional charges, but broadly said police would typically look to sources such as interviews and digital evidence, such as from the devices seized during the search.

The foster children were placed in care of Child and Family Services, and the parents of the children from the daycare have been notified.

“My heart goes out to the families, to the parents that have had to deal with this horrific reality, to the kids that are forever impacted,” said Bates. “This is a horrific investigation.”

— Brandon Sun