Man facing child porn charges aided by suspects in Philippines, Romania: police

Child porn case spans three countries A Saskatoon man is facing almost 20 charges after an investigation into child pornography that spans three countries.

Police believe a Saskatoon man facing 19 child pornography charges was facilitating livestreamed child porn in the Philippines and Romania.

Philip Michael Chicoine, 27, appeared in Saskatoon Provincial Court on Friday to face the charges, which include making, accessing, possessing and distributing child pornography, child luring, making child porn available and agreeing to commit a sexual offence against a child.

The Saskatchewan Internet Child Exploitation Unit stated in a media release the investigation into Chicoine began in early February after child pornography was uploaded to a social media account he operated.

Police believe he arranged video access and facilitated livestreamed child pornography with help from female suspects in the Philippines and Romania.

Suspects in Romania have since been arrested and charged, and authorities in the country confirm the children involved are safe, according to the Saskatchewan ICE Unit. Police in the Philippines are still investigating.

Chicoine was arrested Thursday after investigators searched a home in Saskatoon and seized evidence.

A court document alleges four counts of making child pornography laid against Chicoine stem from “taking screenshots,” while eight counts of agreeing to commit a sexual offence against a child and two counts of child luring were done so through a computer.

The alleged offences range from July 2014 to March 2017, according to the document.

Members of Chicoine’s family were in court for his first appearance Friday. He is next set to appear in court Monday for a bail hearing.