An Ottawa man who volunteered at an orphanage in Nepal has been arrested and charged with possessing child pornography and luring a child.
Paul McCarthy was initially stopped by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers in mid-December when he returned to Canada from Nepal.
Police said that, at the time, CBSA officers found evidence of child pornography on the 62-year-old, as well as communications that allegedly showed him requesting sexual relations with children under 16.
On Jan. 4, McCarthy was pulled off a plane and arrested at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. Police said he was trying to leave the country for Panama.
Ottawa police said they searched McCarthy’s home on Friday and seized additional electronic devices allegedly containing more images of child pornography.
McCarthy has been charged with two counts of possession of child pornography, one count of luring a child under 18 and one count of importing child pornography.
Police said that, so far, investigators have identified five male Nepalese victims, all of whom are under the age of 16.
After his arrest on Friday, McCarthy was transported to Ottawa. On Saturday, he made his first court appearance while members of his family wept outside the courtroom.
In a press release, Ottawa police said they “are concerned that there could be further victims.”
“Additional charges are expected to be laid,” they added.
The investigation involved authorities in Canada and the United States, including the RCMP, Peel Regional Police, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Ottawa Police Service.
