A 46-year-old 17-year veteran of the Ontario Provincial Police officer is facing a child-pornography charge in Thunder Bay. Thunder Bay Police say they arrested the man, suspected of accessing child pornography on the Internet last month.

A 46-year-old 17-year veteran of the Ontario Provincial Police officer is facing a child-pornography charge in Thunder Bay.

Thunder Bay Police say they arrested the man, suspected of accessing child pornography on the Internet last month.



With the assistance of the cyber crimes unit and the Thunder Bay Police Service emergency task unit, a search warrant was executed on Wednesday at a Mapleward Road residence.



Mark Anthony Maltais was arrested and held in custody for a court appearance on Thursday. He was later released and is scheduled to be back in court on March 4.

OPP spokesman Sgt. Petero Leon, reached by phone on Thursday, said Maltais joined the force in April 1998.

"At the time of his arrest he was an identification sergeant at the forensic identification services unit located in Thunder Bay, where he served as unit commander," Leon said.

Maltais has been suspended with pay from his duties, as called for under the Police Services Act.

Thunder Bay police say computers and other electronic devices were seized during the execution of the search warrant.

Leon says the matter is before the courts, it would be inappropriate to comment further.



None of the allegations have been proven in a court of law.