A 49 year old Toronto man, with ties to the University of Waterloo has been charged with making child pornography and juvenile prostitution.
The University of Waterloo confirms Hugh Alexander Thorburn also known as Sandy Thorburn was once a sessional instructor.
CTV Kitchener has also learned he is a composer and is a musical director atThousand Islands Playhouse in Gananoque and Collingwood.
Thorburnwas arrested by the OPP on Friday at the Monte Carlo Inn in Barrie. Police allege he was trading money for sex and making child pornography. Police say he was arrested in the presence of a 17-year-old girl.
The OPP say they conducted a three week investigation after receiving a number of complaints by teenaged girls in the Orillia and Barrie area.
These girls were allegedly contacted online, by Thorburn pretending to be an agent from modelling agencies such as Model Mayhem, Model Desire and Talent MLS.
The OPP say Thorburn offered to pay for modelling photos. Several meetings allegedly took place between teens and Thorburn where he took pornographic pictures instead.
In some instances, Thorburn offered the girls money for sexual services.
Inspector Scott Naylor from the OPP child exploitation section says, “He more or less duped some of these young ladies into paying them to take pictures of them.”
“I think that they were a little suspicious in the beginning but you got to remember, that we're dealing with some really young people here. Some as young as 14 of age”
Thorburn allegedly used different names, including Ryan Wardle, Lydia Lensky, Theron Spyra and Andre Stein.
The OPP are asking anyone who may have been in contact with Thorburn or any of the fake names to give them a call.
Thorburn appeared in a Barrie court this morning but was denied bail.
The University of Waterloo says he was a sessional instructor in their Conrad Music Program. His contract finished early last year, before these allegations came to light. Thorburn was not scheduled to return any time soon.
