An 82-year-old Montrealer has been arrested in the Dominican Republic and flown back to Canada to face charges that he sexually exploited children in the popular Caribbean beach destination.
According to a statement on the website of the Dominican national police, officers acting on an Interpol Red Notice warrant arrested Joseph-Charles-Philippe Côté at a resort in Sosua, a town in the Puerto Plata province.
The suspect was taken to Punta Cana airport and put on a Montreal-bound Air Canada flight Thursday afternoon, the statement said.
Quebec's provincial police said in a press release that Mr. Côté came to their attention thanks to a tip from the Canada Border Services Agency.
Mr. Côté lives in an apartment in east-end Montreal.
The Sûreté du Québec said it executed a search warrant that found on a computer hundreds of photos of children in sexual poses.
Investigators allege that Mr. Côté sexually exploited children during his frequent travels to the Dominican Republic.
According to an arrest warrant filed by the Sûreté at the Montreal courthouse, Mr. Côté is wanted on seven criminal counts relating to the possession of child pornography and having sexual contacts with children under 16.
The criminal acts are alleged to have taken place last fall, according to the warrant.