Accused in sexual exploitation sting mainly Montrealers

Charges recently filed in connection with a Montreal sting operation aimed at preventing the sexual exploitation of minors during Grand Prix weekend offer little evidence the event is a draw for tourists seeking sex with teenagers.

Twelve of the 17 men charged with “communicating by means of telecommunication” to obtain sex with a minor and with attempting to obtain sexual services are from Montreal Island. During a press conference on June 14, Montreal police Commander Michel Bourque said they used the Internet for their sting operation and the men “specifically sought the services of minors.”

During Grand Prix weekend, police said they were carrying out the sting operation during the first two weeks of June because the race attracts a large number of tourists and some seek to purchase sexual services. Only five of the men charged in the operation are from outside the city. Four of the men are from municipalities neighbouring or close to Montreal — Brossard, Châteauguay, Valleyfield and Deux-Montanges — and only one of the men is from outside Quebec — a man in his 30s from Ottawa who, like the others, was arrested and released on a promise to appear at the Montreal courthouse last week. Most, if not all, were allowed to remain released while their cases are pending after having agreed to follow a series of conditions, including they keep away from minors.

Charges filed against three of the 17 men indicate they solicited sex more than once between June 2 and June 9. The charges filed against the other 14 involve alleged solicitation that took place the weekend before the Grand Prix event, between June 9 to 11.

None of the 17 men have criminal records among Quebec provincial records. One of the men was recently charged with assault, but was acquitted.

The average age of the men charged is 39. The youngest is a 23-year-old from the South Shore, while the oldest is a 59-year-old man from a Montreal suburb. During the June 14 press conference, police said the men came from varied socio-economic backgrounds. The addresses listed on their charge sheets suggest the same as some of the accused reside at apartment buildings in some of the roughest neighbourhoods in Montreal, while others own homes in the suburbs.