Following a four-month long investigation by the Dufferin and Nottawasaga Crime Unit of the Ontario Provincial Police, a Melancthon Township man has been charged with sexual assault and possession of child pornography.

Jevon James Irwin, 23, turned himself in after an arrest warrant was executed on Nov. 26. He is scheduled to appear in Orangeville Criminal Court next Tuesday, Dec. 11. As well as four counts of sexual assault and one count of possession of child pornography, he will face charges of trespass by night, involving alleged prowling near a residence; break and enter; repeated criminal harassment, failing to comply with an undertaking, and four counts of mischief.

OPP Det. Cst. Jill Manser stressed that the sexual assault charges are not related to the child pornography found on Mr. Irwin's computer after search warrants were executed at four locations in Melancthon. Two men were arrested during the search, and computers and media storage devices were seized.

"It was possession of child pornography, not production or distribution," said Det. Cst. Manser.

She said the computers were sent to the OPP's ECrimes unit and inspected. When questionable images were found involving children, E-Crimes sent them to the OPP's Child Pornography Unit, also called Project P, which determines whether child pornography laws have been broken.

Four different locations were searched because they believe Mr. Irwin may have lived in, and had access to, more than one residence and may have left personal property at the four locations.

Project P is the OPP's Child Pornography unit. Det. Cst. Manser said it could be that Mr. Irwin had been downloading the images, or the images were sent to him. The images confiscated have been classified. Mr. Irwin was released with conditions not yet specified. Ms. Manser said there are still potential victims that police have not yet been able to identify.