Winnipeg researcher faces child-porn charges By: Ben Waldman Posted: 3:27 PM CDT Tuesday, Jul. 10, 2018 Last Modified: 6:08 AM CDT Wednesday, Jul. 11, 2018 Updates

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This article was published 09/07/2018 (2264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

An assistant professor at the University of Manitoba’s department of biochemistry and medical genetics who has worked as an external research collaborator with the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM) is facing charges of child pornography.

Trevor James Pemberton, 39, was arrested on Monday by detectives from the Winnipeg Police Service’s internet child exploitation unit, after an outside law enforcement agency alerted officers a suspect with a local IP address was sharing illegal images.

He is charged with the possession of child pornography, as well as importing, distributing, selling or possessing any child pornography for the purposes of distribution or sale.

Pemberton joined the University of Manitoba as a faculty member in 2013, and ran a human genetics lab at the Winnipeg school. Pemberton’s bio on the CHRIM website has been removed.

He’s been suspended from both the university and the research institute, pending legal proceedings.

WPS Const. Rob Carver said Tuesday he wasn’t aware of whether any of the images were sold, adding the accused did not have a criminal background with the city police.

Rebecca Rallo, communications and marketing director for CHRIM, said Pemberton had been involved as a research collaborator, but he was not employed nor did he receive a salary of any kind for his contributions.

She said the research institute and the Winnipeg Children’s Hospital operate independently of one another, adding Pemberton was not involved with the hospital in any manner, nor did he interact with its patients.

The research institute suspended Pemberton upon hearing of the charges on Monday, Rallo said.

“The individual is an external collaborator with the Institute, and membership has been suspended pending legal proceedings. CHRIM will co-operate fully with the Winnipeg Police Service, if requested,” she wrote in an email statement.

John Danakas, the University of Manitoba’s director of communications, said Pemberton was put on leave as of Monday with no assigned duties. He said the charges are not related to Pemberton’s association with the school, based on the information it has so far.

“The university takes charges like these very seriously, and the university will co-operate with the Winnipeg Police Service, if asked,” Danakas said.

Pemberton’s leave means he can’t attend campus, or have any contact with staff or students, Danakas said.

ben.waldman@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @benjwaldman

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