Benjamin Martin Moore faces child porn, transportation charges in U.S.

Article content

A known sex offender who allegedly absconded across the border into the U.S. with two children in August now faces charges in that country.

Article content

An indictment, obtained by the Leader-Post Tuesday, shows that a grand jury has charged that on or about Aug. 9 at Sturgis, South Dakota, Benjamin Martin Moore knowingly possessed computer files that contained images of child pornography that were transported internationally and between states.

Article content

Additionally, in a charge given a timeframe spanning from Aug. 3 to 9, it is alleged he “knowingly and recklessly disregarded the fact that aliens had come to, entered, and remained in the United States in violation of law, and transported, moved or attempted to transport or move aliens within the United States by means of transportation and otherwise in furtherance of such violation of law.”

Further, included within the indictment it is stated that if he’s convicted, he will forfeit any property “used or intended to be used in the distribution, receipt, or possession of child pornography,” including a Samsung phone he had in his possession on Aug. 9.

Article content

Moore, 50, was arrested after an Amber Alert, originally issued by RCMP on Aug 8., was later extended into South Dakota.

The two children who were with him were found safe, and a spokesperson for the South Dakota Attorney General’s office said at the time arrangements were being made to “return them to their rightful custodian.”

Moore faces additional charges in Canada. On Aug. 9, he was charged with failing to report information to a registration centre within seven days after a change of main or secondary residence, as required by the Sex Offender Information Registration Act. He was said to have been living with a woman in Eastend, Sask. before they travelled to the U.S. And on Aug. 26, he was charged with breaching a weapons prohibition order after police found three crossbows in his home.

Article content

The man, who is still listed as an inmate at a Rapid City, S.D., jail has a substantial criminal history including previous convictions for sexual interference and possession of child pornography.

Historic documents show that the Parole Board of Canada once considered him a cunning, high-risk predator who’d had behavioural issues from an early age.

Those documents state he displayed a pattern of offending behaviour that involved travelling to small communities where he’d “establish friendships with vulnerable women in order to access their children.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office did not indicate if or when Moore would be returned to Canada to face charges in this country.

[email protected]

The news seems to be flying at us faster all the time. From COVID-19 updates to politics and crime and everything in between, it can be hard to keep up. With that in mind, the Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox to help make sure you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.