The case of a scandalized former Anglican priest who worked near St. John’s has led to more arrests in a worldwide child pornography network, police say.
Robin Barrett was charged in 2009 when police found photographs and videos of child pornography in his Conception Bay South home.
Barrett, who pleaded guilty, was given a 2.5-year prison sentence last September.
Evidence collected in the Barrett case, though, has fuelled police investigations in multiple jurisdictions.
“[We were able to] infiltrate a network of pedophiles that were trading these awful images and videos,” said Det. Const. Paul Krawczyk of the Toronto police’s child exploitation unit.
“That’s something we don’t often get to do and because of that we were able to become trusted, sort of, members of this network and that led us to … numerous people world wide.”
Krawczyk said about 60 people have now been arrested in what is known as Project Sanctuary.
During Barrett’s sentencing last year, provincial court in St. John’s was told that materials in Barrett’s house involved children as young as six months.