University of Toronto professor Ben Levin received bail at a hearing yesterday, but Toronto police added two additional charges to those he faces on child pornography.
In a statement, Toronto police said they had added accessing and possession of child pornography to existing counts around creating and distributing it. Moreover, the police said their investigation continues and, “Police believe there may be more victims.”
The prolific education researcher and former member of Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne’s transition team was arrested Monday at his home, and at a hearing Wednesday he was released on $100,000 bail, the Toronto Star reported. Levin was released under the guardianship of his older brother Martin Levin, who helped post his bail, though he will be allowed to return home with his wife once she returns from an out-of-town trip.
Under the conditions of Levin’s bail, he can access the Internet only through his office, under the University of Toronto’s monitored server, and cannot use social media, video or phone messages. He is also forbidden from knowingly being in the presence of schools, swimming pools or children under age 16. Moreover, Levin had to turn over travel documents and can leave Ontario only to visit his father in Winnipeg, the Toronto Star reported.
In a statement, the University of Toronto said it is cooperating with the police investigation and considers the charges “very serious.”