Editor’s note: This story was updated on Nov. 1 to reflect that the charges against Steven Rutter were dropped on Oct. 22.
Crown prosecutors have dropped charges against an Ottawa man who was arrested and charged in July with possessing, making and distributing child pornography.
The man’s arrest came after the Queensland Australia Police Service sent the case file to the RCMP, which then forwarded the information to Ottawa police in late May.
With help from the Canada Border Services Agency and Homeland Security Investigations, the Ottawa Police Service’s internet child exploitation unit traced “the offending IP addresses … to the Ottawa area.”
According to a statement issued by Ottawa police at the time, investigators served an internet service provider with a production order that yielded information that confirmed the alleged criminal activity was taking place “at a residence in the Centretown area.”
Police executed a search warrant on July 17 and arrested and charged Steven Rutter, 24.
That statement from police is no longer available online.
Court documents show the charges against Rutter were subsequently withdrawn on Oct. 22, at the Crown’s request.