Barrie teacher accused of sex crimes, including luring a teen on Instagram

A Barrie teacher and baseball coach has been charged in connection with a child exploitation investigation.

A Barrie public school teacher is behind bars accused of sex crimes, involving a child that investigators believe he lured on Instagram.

Kyle Pitman, 43, made a brief virtual court appearance Wednesday from jail in Penetanguishene. He’s been behind bars since being charged with counts that include sexual exploitation, invitation to sexual touching, making, printing, publishing or possessing child pornography, accessing child pornography, making sexually explicit material of a child under 18 and luring a child under 18. The allegations against Pitman have not been tested in court.

CTV News reached out to the Simcoe County District School Board, which declined to comment at this time.

Barrie police revealed on Tuesday detectives from the Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit executed a search warrant after receiving a report from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.

Police said emergency orders with internet service providers confirmed the identity and age of the teen, as well as the identity, age, and location of the accused. Police seized several computer devices belonging to the accused for further analysis.

Pitman worked as a local baseball coach and was recently named Select Coach of the Year in Barrie. He taught French immersion and was a public school teacher for more than a decade in Mississauga and Brampton before moving to the Barrie area two years ago.

Pitman remains in custody pending a bail hearing. His next video appearance from jail is scheduled for Thursday.