THUNDER BAY - A Thunder Bay man facing a series of charges related to child pornography and online child luring has been denied bail.
Skyler Jay King, 26, is charged with a total of 46 offences related to one of the most significant child pornography busts in Thunder Bay, where more than 200 victims have been identified worldwide, police have said.
King appeared by video before a justice of the peace on Monday, May 11, for a lengthy bail hearing to determine whether or not he should be released from custody while awaiting trial.
Evidence and information presented at his bail hearing including reasons for his detention are protected under a court-ordered publication ban.
The investigation into King’s online activity began in March 2019 after Thunder Bay Police Service received information about suspected child pornography being uploaded by a local internet user, police have said.
This led to the arrest of King in June 2019 and he was charged with possession of child pornography and two counts of importing and distributing child pornography.
Since then, members of the Thunder Bay Police Service Cyber Crimes Unit continued to gather new evidence over 11 months which led to the discovery that King was allegedly involved in cases involving a child luring and making child pornography available.
Police identified victims in several countries throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
King’s charges include 19 counts of luring a child under 18, eight counts of luring a child under 16, making sexually explicit material available to a child, two counts of distributing child pornography, nine counts of making child pornography, one count of voyeurism, two counts of possession of child pornography and one count of accessing child pornography.
Justice of the Peace Denette Ellard spent 45 minutes reading her reasons for detention after counsel for both Defence and Crown made submissions in King's bail hearing.
The accused is expected to return back to court on May 20.
