Robert Eric Muttenthaler

Sources

1. Two Niagara arrests in massive child porn investigation , Niagara This Week, September 25, 2014.
2. Two people from Niagara charged in child porn sweep, The Tribune, September 26, 2014.
3. Two Niagara Arrests in Massive Child Porn Investigation, The Post, October 2, 2014.
4. In the Courts: Aug. 9-13, 2021, The Kingston Whig Standard, December 1, 2021.

• 1. Two Niagara arrests in massive child porn investigation

  • 20140925
  • News article
  • Niagara This Week

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  Two men from Niagara are among 60 from across Ontario who have been charged in a massive OPP investigation into child pornography.

  In all, there were 99 search warrants executed, resulting in 249 charges being laid against 60 people – including men, at least one woman and young offenders.

  Robert E Muttenthaler, 48, of Welland, has been charged with one count of access child pornography, two counts of possession of child pornography, two counts of make child pornography, two counts of make available child pornography, one count of sexual assault, two counts of sexual interference and one count of voyeurism.
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  Bryan R Reilly, 36, of St. Catharines, has been charged with access child pornography, possession of child pornography and make child pornography.

  Police said 14 child victims have been rescued during the investigation.

  During a media conference held Thursday in Vaughan, police displayed an animated map depicting more than 7,000 individual Internet Protocol (or IP) addresses over a period of 180 days that had been identified as download candidates for suspected child pornography in various urban and rural communities.

  OPP media officer Sgt. Peter Leon said the investigation involved numerous police departments across Ontario, including the Niagara Regional Police.

  He said the investigation started about a month ago, with arrest warrants being executed between last week and up until today. Leon said he couldn’t disclose what prompted the investigation but noted the child sexual exploitation unit is actively scouring the web for such activities.

  Leon said for privacy reasons he can’t say if any of the 14 rescued children were from Niagara. However, he said in some cases parents became alerted to attempts being made to lure their child. They called the police, and officers were able to intervene without the child being put in any danger.

  However, some of the rescued children were victimized, he said.

  In the news release, police stressed the problem of child pornography is not restricted to big cities. Leon said that wherever there’s an internet connection – which is pretty much everywhere – there’s a potential for this to happen.

  ”[The internet’s] a wonderful resource, a great tool, but in the wrong hands, used inappropriately, it can be very dangerous, and that’s what we’re seeing today,” he said.

  Leon said it’s up to parents to monitor their children’s online activity and recommends computers not be allowed in bedrooms, but instead be set up in common areas. And parents need to physically review their child’s internet history and see who they’re texting on their phones.

  “Parents need to be more dialed in and ask ‘what are you doing?” Leon said.
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• 2. Two people from Niagara charged in child porn sweep

  • 20140926
  • News article
  • The Tribune

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  Two people from Niagara are among 60 chars across the province in a massive child pornography investigation.

  Co-oridinated raid happened at 99 locations this week leading to a total of 249 child exploitation related charges. The Ontario provincial police for 14 kids were also rescued during the raid.

  Robert Muttenthaler, 48, from Welland, was charged with two counts each of possession of child pornography, making child pornography, making available child pornography and sexual interference. He was also charged with single counts of accessing child pornography, sexual assault and voyeurism.

  Bryan Reilly, 36, of St. Catharines, was charged with one count each of accessing, possessing and making child pornography.

  Of the 60 people charged in the raids, only Muttenthaler, two people from London who weren't named and one person from Woodstock were charged with sexual assault and interference instead of just making, possessing, accessing or distributing child pornography charges.

  OPP spokesman Sgt. Peter Leon wouldn't comment if any of the 14 rescued children were from Niagara.

  "Out of respect to the young victims, that's not something we can give specifics on, " Leon said. "This is a very significant undertaking and part of the thing we need to be cognizant of is re-victimization. These young victims have been preyed upon."

  Leon said the charges were the result of a lengthy investigation that involved police services from across the province, including Niagara Regional Police.

  "We're fortunate to have such good partners that are concerned about these young children," he said. "We recognize these young people are vulnerable and this type of strategy allows us to ensure theses young children are being protected to the best of our abilities."

  The investigation was part of the specially – funded provincial Drive seed to protect children, which in the NRP Det. Sgt. Scott Kraushar set has proven to be an important tool in fighting child exploitation.

  "With a provincial strategy team approach from across the province and information comes in from around the world, " said Kraushar, who heads up the NRP's Internet child exploitation unit. "Offenses against children are the most heinous and serious in my opinion and certainly this unit takes any offenses against children very seriously. The investigators who do this type of work are very dedicated to the prevention of exploitation of children."

  Reilly made a court appearance in St. Catharines Wednesday and Muttenthaler is scheduled to be in St. Catharines court Friday.

• 3. Two Niagara Arrests in Massive Child Porn Investigation

  • 20141002
  • News article
  • The Post

  • original
  • archived
  • back to list

  OPP says 14 children were rescued across Ontario.

  Two men from Niagara are among 60 people from across Ontario who have been charged in the massive OPP investigation into child pornography.

  In all, there were 99 search warrants executed, resulting in 249 charges being laid against 60 people– Including man, at least one woman and young offenders.

  Robert E Muttenthaler, 48, of Welland, has been charged with one count of access child pornography, two counts of possession of child pornography, to counsel make child pornography, two counts of making available child pornography, one count of sexual assault, two counts of sexual interference and one count of voyeurism.

  Bryan R Reilly, 36, of St. Catharines, has been charged with access to child pornography, possession of child pornography and make child pornography.

  Police said 14 child victims have been rescued during the investigation.

  During immediate conference held Sept. 25 in Vaughan, police displayed an animated map depicting more than 7000 individual Internet protocol (or IP) addresses over a period of 180 days that have been identified as downloaded candidates for suspected child pornography and various urban and rural communities.

  OPP media officer S GT. Peter Leon says the investigation involved numerous police departments across Ontario, including the Niagara regional police.

  He said the investigation started about a month ago, with arrest warrants being executed between last week and up until today. Leon said he couldn't disclose what prompted the investigation but noted that child sexual exploitation unit is actively scouring the web for such activities.

  Leon said for privacy reasons he can't say if any of the 14 rescue children were from Niagara however, he said in some cases parents became alerted to attempt being made to louver their children. They call the police, and officers were able to intervene without the child being put in any danger.

  However, some of the rusty children were victimized, he said.

  In the news release, police stress the problem of children pornography is not restricted to big cities. Leon said that wherever there's Internet connection – which is pretty much everywhere– there's a potential for this to happen.

  "[The Internet's] wonderful resource, a great tool, but in the wrong hands, used inappropriately, it can be very dangerous, and that's what we're seeing today," he said.

  Leon said it's up to parents to monitor their children's online activity and recommends computers not to be a lot of bedrooms, but instead be set up in common areas. In parents need to physically review their child's Internet history as see who they're texting on their phones.

  "Parents need to be more dialed in and ask 'what are you doing?" Leon said.

• 4. In the Courts: Aug. 9-13, 2021

  • 20211201
  • News article
  • The Kingston Whig Standard

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  A compilation of offences from Kingston’s Ontario Court of Justice for the period of Aug. 9-13, 2021. Only sentences that involved a large fine, probation or incarceration are included.

  Brett A. Batista, 26, was convicted on two counts of voyeurism from November 2019, possession of stolen property from August 2020, and a related charge of possessing fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking. He was given enhanced credit on 303 days of pre-trial custody and sentenced to two years and 90 days in prison.
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  Federal inmate Keith Begin, 32, was convicted of violating probation he received in Sudbury in January 2016 by failing to report to his probation officer during the seven months that followed and by failing to attend court on the charge in May 2018. He had 30 days added to a four-year sentence he’s currently serving on an aggravated assault conviction. Begin’s defence lawyer, Mike Rode, told Justice Allan Letourneau that his client waived his Sudbury charges to Kingston in anticipation of his statutory release date, which was previously set for October this year. His sentence is due to expire in December 2022, according to Rode.

  Lisa M. Judge, 33, was convicted of stealing merchandise worth $79 from the 1201 Division St. Shoppers Drug Mart in mid-October 2020 and, in early July 2021, having possession of a stolen Costco Wholesale Gold Star membership card belonging to a man, and a Costco Wholesale Gold Star Executive Card belonging to a woman. She was given enhanced credit on 33 days of pre-trial custody and sentenced to time served. Justice Allan Letourneau was told there was no recovery on the theft from Shoppers, but the Costco cards were reclaimed after police were called to deal with Judge in relation to an incident in the washroom of a Loblaws store. Assistant Crown attorney John Skoropada disclosed that the cards had been stolen earlier from their owners’ parked cars.
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  Dylan J. Lasher, 26, was convicted of failing to comply with a release order he was granted in December 2020 that required him to confine himself to his residence except when attending to a medical emergency, legal matters, employment duties between 5:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. for one specific employer, or when accompanied by his bail surety. He was given enhanced credit on 14 days of pre-trial custody and sentenced to time served. Justice Allan Letourneau was told that Lasher was charged in April this year after his bail surety contacted Kingston Police and indicated that he and Lasher weren’t getting along and he wanted to withdraw his bond. Lasher was at work at the time, according to assistant Crown attorney John Skoropada, but failed to return to his residence by 8 p.m.

  Ashtan Leblanc, 24, was convicted of stealing an ambulance belonging to Leeds and Grenville Emergency Medical Services in early June 2021, related charges of obstructing police by misidentifying himself, and violating a condition of a previous release order that forbid him from operating or having care or control of any motor vehicle he didn’t own. He was given enhanced credit on 60 days of pre-trial custody and sentenced to time served and probation for 18 months, during which time he must participate in assessments, counselling and programs as directed by his probation officer, including counselling and programs for substance abuse issues. On the night of the incident, Leblanc had been transported from Kingston’s downtown entertainment area to Kingston General Hospital for emergency medical treatment, according to assistant Crown attorney John Skoropada. He didn’t elaborate on the circumstances of the 24-year-old’s arrival or departure, but told Justice Allan Letourneau that Leblanc left the hospital at some point and climbed into an ambulance he found parked just outside the doors and drove off. He was later located still driving the emergency vehicle on Highway 2 and was pulled over by police, but, Skoropada said, he initially gave the officer a name that wasn’t his and revealed that Leblanc at that time was subject to a release order that prohibited him from driving any vehicle not his own. Leblanc’s defence lawyer, Natasha Calvinho, told the judge her client was employed, had no prior criminal record and was raised on the other side of the country in British Columbia. She disclosed that he’s had a problem with crystal methamphetamine for a while, however, and suggested that “he went off the deep end” after his brother died in B.C.

  Nathaniel W. Linsinski, 45, was convicted of violating probation he received in March 2021 by failing to report to his probation officer in late July. He was given double credit on six days of pre-trial custody and sentenced to a further 38 days in jail. Defence lawyer Rod Bennett urged Justice Allan Letourneau to impose between 18 and 21 further days in jail, noting that because of COVID-19 protocols, Linsinski’s initial six days in custody were spent in isolation. Assistant Crown attorney John Skoropada conversely recommended 58 additional days of jail. The judge, after perusing Linsinski’s record, observed that he has 16 prior convictions for violating probation, as well as breaches of various release orders. He told the lawyers that was aggravating, that “orders are meant to be complied with and Mr. Linsinski has little respect for court orders, obviously.” He also noted that Linsinski had only been out of custody and 13 days into his probation when he was back in trouble. In light of conditions in the jails brought on by the pandemic, however, he declined to impose the full measure of days recommended by the Crown.
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  Danial B. MacDonald, 41, was convicted of violating probation imposed in September 2020 by failing to report to his probation officer in July this year. He was given double credit on 14 days of pre-trial custody and sentenced to a further 42 days in jail. Justice Allan Letouneau was told MacDonald was placed on the probation he violated as a consequence of a conviction for violating a previous probation order also by failing to report to his probation officer, and that he was convicted again, earlier this year, also for failing to report and was jailed for he equivalent of 60 days on that occasion. Assistant Crown attorney John Skoropada said MacDonald was released in mid-July, however, and reported as required four days later. He neglected to check in on his second scheduled appointment at the end of the month, however, and was immediately charged. MacDonald’s defence lawyer, Paul Blais, told the judge his client has mental health issues and what he described as a “fairly significant” drug addiction, and because of those two factors, he told the judge, MacDonald has difficulty keeping track of appointments. Blais argued for what would have amounted to a period of between 12 and 32 additional days in custody as opposed to the 62 days Skoropada was recommending. Justice Letourneau said he was allowing for some mitigation but observed in sentencing him that MacDonald has a significant history of breaching court orders.
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  Robert E. Muttenthaler, 55, was convicted of the December 2020 possession of child pornography. He was given enhanced credit on 213 days of pre-trial custody and sentenced to a further two years in prison. Assistant Crown attorney John Skoropada said Kingston Police became aware in mid-December last year that Muttenthaler’s IP address had been used to download child pornography, and they obtained a search warrant and seized his computer. He told Justice Allan Letourneau that a later search of the device found two videos and two images of prepubescent children engaging in sex acts. It was also disclosed that Muttenthaler has a record of conviction for related offences, and his lawyer, Mark Snider, told the judge he’s subject, as the result of a previous conviction, to a lifetime court order intended to restrict his access to places and circumstances that would bring him into contact with children.

  Mitchell T. Rattray, 34, was convicted of assaulting a Kingston General Hospital nurse in September 2020 and a related violation of probation imposed in October 2016 that required him to keep the peace. He was given enhanced credit on 60 days of pre-trial custody and was sentenced to time served and probation for 18 months, during which time Rattray must complete assessments, counselling and programs of rehabilitation as directed by his probation officer. Justice Allan Letourneau was told that Rattray was in custody in connection with another matter and was receiving treatment at the hospital when he became aggressive with medical staff. Assistant Crown attorney John Skoropada said hospital security staff called Kingston Police after he punched a nurse in the chest.
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  Pierre Roberge, 57, was convicted of assaulting a Via Rail clerk in early June 2020 in response to the clerk’s insistence that he wear his face mask so that it actually covered his nose and mouth. Roberge was given enhanced credit on 30 days of pre-trial custody, sentenced to time served and 12 months of probation, and was ordered to stay off Via Rail property. Roberge showed up at the Via station in Kingston at 2 p.m. and purchased a ticket to Toronto, Justice Allan Letourneau was told. Throughout the transaction, however, assistant Crown attorney John Skoropada said, he kept removing his face mask, in contravention of rules intended to curb the spread of COVID-19. It was suggested that Roberge wasn’t appreciative of the repeated reminders, and when he tried to board the train with his mask down and was refused entry, he returned to the station, mask still down, and “took a swing” at the male ticket clerk. Roberge’s lawyer, Michael Morse, told the judge that his client is now forbidden for life from riding with Via Rail and observed that he was faced with the immediate problem of returning to Montreal without a vehicle of his own. Roberge, indicated it wasn’t a problem, however. He told the judge he’d just take a cab back.
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  Kevin Wybenga, 30, was convicted of violating probation and failing to comply with a condition of release. He was given enhanced credit on 24 days of pre-trial custody and sentenced to time served and probation for 12 months.

  Robert L. York, 43, was convicted of violating a condition of a release undertaking he signed in May 2021 by failing to notify his probation officer, police or the court of his correct address. He was given enhanced credit on 27 days of pre-trial custody and sentenced to time served. Assistant Crown attorney John Skoropada told Justice Allan Letourneau that the charge was laid after Kingston Police discovered, 11 days into York’s release, that the address he’d provided to authorities doesn’t exist.