54 Men Arrested, More Expected In Canadian Porn Investigation

In September 1993, a boy fishing on the Ausable River north of here snagged a bag of 40 videotapes and brought them home. Despite the water damage, his mother tried to play the tapes.

Boys appeared on the screen in sexual activities with men. The mother promptly took the tapes to the police, opening what has become the largest child pornography investigation in Canadian history.

Under Canadian law, it is a crime, with a maximum penalty of five years in prison, just to be in possession of pornographic material involving people under age 18.

So far, 54 men, including a clergyman, several teachers, a high school principal and a hockey coach, have been arrested. They are accused of exploiting youths as young as 8 years old.

Police Chief Julian Fantino says more charges are pending.

Statements prepared by the London Family Court Clinic and published in The London Free Press showed that one of the teenage victims contemplated suicide. Most of the victims were street children lured by money.