Ex-cop faces 5 years in jail for child porn charges

 Ottawa Sun 

16 July 2008 

By KENNETH JACKSON, SUN MEDIA

A local ex-cop learned he faces at least five years in a U.S. jail if convicted of child sex charges after his first court date yesterday in Pittsburgh.

Paul Michael Maher, 58, of Richmond is charged with distribution of child porn and travelling with the intent of having sex with a minor.

The first charge brings a mandatory sentence of five years and jail, while the latter has no minimum, but if convicted, Maher could get up to 30 years.

Maher allegedly drove nearly 965 km to Mount Pleasant, Pa., June 27 to take the virginity of a 14-year-old girl he lured on the Internet after months of computer chatting.

The "girl" was a male FBI special agent, but Maher never went through with the meeting, U.S. court documents say.

He was arrested three days later in New York.

Authorities allege they met Maher in a Yahoo "fetish" chat room in October 2007 with a U.S. cop posing as "Jess" and Maher using the handles "chancemaycome" and "pablo mendez."

Maher allegedly sent more than 220 pictures and 37 videos of pre-pubescent children being penetrated by adults to the FBI agent.

Ottawa police have charged Maher with similar offences in Canada and said they were interviewing family members about allegations he had sex with a neighbour's 14-year-old female relative.

Maher, a former patrol officer with the old Ottawa-Carleton police department, had been working for Health Canada but his contract was terminated last week.

He is scheduled to appear in Pittsburgh court on Monday.