**** RCMP Media Release
Yarmouth man arrested on child pornography charges
The RCMP’s Provincial Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit has arrested a Yarmouth man for child pornography offences.
On October 18, 2019, the RCMP was notified by the National Child Exploitation Crime Centre that a Facebook user uploaded an image that was suspected to be child pornography. Nova Scotia RCMP’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit began an investigation, and confirmed the image met the Criminal Code definition of child pornography.
A suspect was identified, and as a result of a detailed investigation, on February 21, 2020, members of the ICE unit, with assistance from the RCMP’s Digital Forensic Services, Yarmouth Town and Rural RCMP, and Yarmouth/ Clare SCEU, searched a home on Prospect St. in Yarmouth. Nicholas Michael Henry Gavel, 32, was arrested at the scene without incident. He was remanded into custody and appeared in Yarmouth Provincial Court today. He is charged with:
- Distribution of Child Pornography
- Possession of Child Pornography
- Breach of Probation
- Fail to Comply With Prohibition (Accessing the Internet, residing near a school) – 4 counts
Gavel was remanded into custody and will return to court on March 31.
In Nova Scotia it is mandatory for citizens to report suspected child pornography. This means that anyone who encounters child pornography material or recordings must report it to the police. Failing to report suspicious activity and materials could result in penalties similar to failure to report child abuse set out in the Child and Family Services Act.
The RCMP encourages citizens to be a voice for children who are victims of sexual exploitation by reporting any suspected offences to your local police or by using Canada’s National tipline for reporting online sexual exploitation of children at www.cybertip.ca.
