The RCMP report a 30-year-old Saint John man will serve two years in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges stemming from an investigation into images of child sexual abuse.

An investigation began in July 2020 led by the New Brunswick RCMP's Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit, according to Corporal Hans Ouellette.

On June 1, 2021, police executed a search warrant at a home on Killam Drive in Moncton and seized several electronic devices. Officers arrested 30-year-old Paul Jason James Pidgeon at the scene.

Pidgeon appeared in Moncton Provincial Court on October 26th and was charged with possession of child pornography and making available child pornography. He was released on strict conditions.

On Wednesday, April 27th, he was sentenced to two years in prison followed by a two-year probation order upon his release, Ouellette stated.

Pidgeon, formerly from Riverview, N.B., is already on the National Sex Offender Registry for life and has previous served time in jail for similar offences. In 2015, he was sentenced to 15 months in jail for extorting a 15-year-old girl into sending him nude photos of herself.

Following his release from prison in 2024, Pidgeon will have to abide by conditions set out by the court for a period of 10 years. Those restrictions include not communicating with anyone under the age of 16, and not attending any place that someone under the age of 16 is known to be.

The New Brunswick RCMP's Internet Child Exploitation Unit includes officers from the Saint John Police Force and the Kennebecasis Regional Police Force.The RCMP's Digital Forensics Services Unit, the Saint John Police Force and the RCMP National Child Exploitation Crime Centre assisted with the investigation.

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