Montreal man, 82, arrested by Interpol for child sex offences

Montreal - The octogenarian was arrested in the Dominican Republic and returned to Canada where he faces several child pornography and sexual offences against children charges.

On Thursday afternoon, Joseph Charles Phillipe Cote was taken to the Punta Cana International Airport where he was handed over to Canadian authorities and flown to Montreal aboard an Air Canada flight. The 82-year-old had been arrested and detained by Dominican police in the resort town of Sosua, Puerto Plata. Police were acting on an international arrest warrant issued by Interpol. Cote is charged with production, distribution and possession of child pornography. He also faces two counts each of invitation to sexual touching and sexual interference. The latter four charges stem from allegations he had contact with children under the age of 14 years in the Dominican Republic. These offences are alleged to have occurred last fall. Canadian law provides Canadian citizens and permanent residents can be prosecuted in Canada for sexual offences committed against children anywhere in the world. Since 2003, Cote made frequent trips to the Caribbean country. He first came to the attention of authorities on Oct. 17 of last year when he flew back to Canada. His laptop was screened by the Canadian Border Services Agency and based on what agents saw, they notified the Surete du Quebec, Quebec's provincial police force. In a statement, the Surete du Quebec said, "Provincial police obtained a search warrant that allowed them to retrieve and analyze computer systems. Police found hundreds of photographs of children in poses corresponding to child pornography." The international arrest warrant was issued Feb. 8. Cote made his first appearance in a Montreal courtroom yesterday. He was remanded in custody until he appears again on March 7.