A 34-year-old man from Eel River Crossing, N.B., has been sentenced to 14 months in jail after pleading guilty to a charge stemming from an investigation into images of child sexual abuse.
The investigation, led by the New Brunswick RCMP's Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit, began in July 2020, following information received regarding downloads from online programs that are used to share child abusive material.
On January 19, 2021, police executed a search warrant at a home on Principale Street, in Eel River Crossing, N.B., in connection with the investigation. Police seized several electronic devices, a 34-year-old man was arrested at the scene and released on strict conditions.
On November 23, 2022, Tony Gallant appeared in Campbellton Provincial Court and plead guilty to possession of child pornography.
On January 27, 2023, Tony Gallant was sentenced to 14 months in jail, followed by a 24 months Probation and a five-year Prohibition Order upon his release.
Tony Gallant was added to the National Sex Offender Registry for 20 years and will be required to submit a DNA sample. Following his release from jail, he will have to abide by conditions set out by the court, including not communicating with anyone under the age of 16, and to not attend any place that someone under the age of 16 is known to be for a period of 5 years.
The New Brunswick RCMP's Internet Child Exploitation Unit includes members from the Saint John Police Force and the Kennebecasis Regional Police Force. The RCMP's Digital Forensics Services Unit and the Campbellton RCMP assisted with the investigation.