Cedrika Provencher murder suspect acquitted on child porn charges

Jonathan Bettez was acquitted Friday morning of all charges brought against him related to child pornography.

Justice Jacques Lacoursiere also invalidated the search warrants executed against Bettez, which included the seizure of computer equipment belonging to him and formed part of the evidence in support of the charges.

Crown prosecutor Jean-Marc Poirier said that he was going to analyze the judge's decision to see if he could appeal it.

Bettez's lawyer, Marc-Antoine Carette, he said he was "very satisfied" with Justice Lacoursiere's decision.

He stated that his client's rights had been violated more than once as part of the police investigation.

Massive sting and surveillance operation

Earlier this year court documents showed that police considered Bettez their only suspect in the disappearance and murder of Cedrika Provencher.

The Sureté du Quebec followed and monitored Bettez for nearly a decade, even constructing an elaborate ruse to try and win his trust.

Undercover agents told Bettez he had won an all-expenses golf trip Mont Tremblant, and once there he was surrounded by undercover officers posing as fellow winners.

One of them became friends with Bettez and tried to get him to incriminate himself, even pointing out a young girl wearing a bikini.

Bettez reportedly told the officer "Did you see the bikini? She's a bit young."

The undercover cop later gave Bettez $15,000 to help him become a professional poker player and asked him to do unnamed favour before Bettez eventually became suspicious.

After Provencher's remains were found, police set up hidden cameras and microphones in his home, his workplace, and other locations in an attempt to get evidence for a search warrant.

In 2016 police arrested Bettez he was charged with six counts related to child pornography.

All those charges were dismissed on Friday.