Also See: 'Sarah' saved by T.O. cops
"Her naked image is everywhere now, loose in cyberspace, a 4-year-old forced to pose in a sexually explicit manner." (Regarding the victims of Robert Clemens)
A prominent member of the Ontario Roaming Bares, a nudist travel club, associated with the Toronto Area Naturist Society. was arrested and charged with several counts under the Child Pornography Statutes as well as sexual interference with a minor.
Robert Clemens, also known as Ponytail Bob faces numerous charges. Police are asking other members of ORBs to come forth if they have any information on the case or if they are aware of other children in ORBs that may have been molested by Clemens.
Robert Noel Clemens was a member of the Ontario Roaming Bares nudist club when he befriended a couple who shared his enthusiasm for naturism.
But after winning their trust, he sexually assaulted their 4-year-old daughter on sleepovers. And he took secret digital pictures of the tot as she slept in the nude, later swapping them for other images on the Web.
A tip from British police and sleuthing by Toronto cops led to his conviction for child pornography and sexual assault.
On Friday, Justice Edward Then sentenced the 39-year-old Toronto man to 4 1/2 years in prison, citing an "egregious breach of trust."
The little girl, now 6, could suffer years of trauma, the judge said.
Using information from a 2003 FBI bust of an online child pornography-trading newsgroup, police in Staffordshire, England, arrested a man swapping images with Clemens in Toronto.
Clemens had been peddling the girl's pictures, claiming she was his child. The British only knew his alias, which they passed on to Toronto police.
Using sophisticated software, Sgt. Mary Vruna and colleagues tracked the victim down to Ohio, where the nudist family had moved from Toronto.
It turned out the girl had once complained to her parents about indecent actions by "Bob," but the family had failed to inform police for fear of repercussions with children's aid officials, the judge said.
In 2004, police executed a warrant on Clemens's home and found 3,500 child porn images showing adults committing every imaginable sexual act with children, and kids having sex among themselves.
Police also found 150 videos, DVDs and CD-ROMs with suggestive titles. They found close-up pictures he had taken of the nudist couple's daughter.
He was charged with sexual assault and possessing, making and distributing child porn.
In 2005, while on bail he was picked up for breaching his release terms.
After pre-trial custody is deducted from Clemens's sentence, he must serve two more years, followed by three years' probation.
The judge ordered him to comply with treatment.
After the sentencing, Nancy Embry, of Beyond Borders, a child exploitation watchdog group, praised police success in rescuing the girl from danger.
680 Radio News Accused child pornographer arrested again
June 06, 2005 - 3:34 pm
By: Scott Simpson
A man accused of sexually assaulting a child has been arrested again. 38-year-old Robert Noel Clemens has been out on bail, awaiting trial on charges including making child porn.
He was only allowed to leave home to go to work, or on outings with an approved adult. He was not to go any nudist colonies or parks, and was not to possess any childrens' underwear.
Police found him on Saturday at the Hanlan's Point nude beach, and they say he had kids' underwear in his backpack.
Clemens now faces two new counts of Failing to Comply with Recognizance.
680 Radio News
by: Anne Winstanley Police credit internet database with identifying child porn victim
Toronto Police are crediting a new internet database for identifying a victim of child pornography.
A Toronto man, already facing child pornography charges, is now accused of the sexual assault of a 4 year old girl, making pornographic pictures of her and distributing them over the internet.
Police say the Child Exploitation Tracking System is a powerful database that collects information on child pornography investigations, analyzes the information and tracks offenders.
Investigators say it helped them identify a Toronto man who was making and trading images with a man in England. 38-year old Robert Clemens was arrested in September on child porn charges. One of the images on one of the cameras seized from his home was of a 4 year old girl. Det. Sgt. Paul Gillespie says they've now identified the child, who is now 5 years of age, and he says the girl said she was sexually assaulted.
Police also say Clemens is a member of a nudist organization called the Ontario Roaming Bares. They'd like to talk to any members, and anyone else, who may have in contact with Clemens. Gillespie says police believe there may be more victims.
Nudist group takes aim at T.O. police Canadian Press, canada.com/national/nationalpost
November 19, 2004
A nudist group took aim at the Toronto Police Service on Thursday after the sex crimes unit mentioned a man accused of sexually assaulting a girl was a naturist.
Charges of sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl, making pornographic pictures of her and distributing them were added to child pornography charges previously laid against Robert Clemens, police said Thursday.
In a release announcing the new charges, police said Clemens, 38, was a member of the Ontario Roaming Bares, a nudist organization.
Police urged anyone with information about Clemens, particularly members of the Roaming Bares, to contact them.
The Federation of Canadian Naturists said it wasn't pleased with the police release.
It "specifically targets nudists," said Stephane Deschenes, president of the federation.
"By not mentioning the accused's other activities, we feel that the Toronto Police Service is unfairly targeting naturism/nudism because of the sensationalistic nature of nudity."
Clemens was charged after police in Staffordshire, England, seized a computer and determined the owner was exchanging images of children with a person believed to be living in Toronto.
Police seized camera equipment from a Toronto residence on Sept. 9, and discovered one of the cameras had been used to take images of a young girl.
The alleged victim has been identified from the pictures, police said Thursday.
Clemens is to appear in court on Nov. 26.
Deny, bluster and dissemble.
One Toronto newspaper's take on the situation.
Nov. 18, 2004 Toronto Star report
Editorial Comment:
Apparently the FCN doesn't see any relevance to the fact that the child who was victimized by Mr. Clemens was a member of ORB along with Mr. Clemens. It would seem natural for any police investigation to start with other children in the same organization. Why the FCN chose to respond to the police press release by complaining is beyond me. As I have told the FCN, it would have been far better to welcome a police investigation in order to protect any other children that may have been victimized. It would also have shown that nudists have nothing to hide and that the nudist community seeks to rid itself of any trace of child molesting perverts.
As it stands, the FCN seems to be taking the approach that failed so miserably for the Roman Catholic Church. Deny, bluster and dissemble.
As recent history shows, this tactic will only come back to haunt them.
Nudist group offended
Fri, November 19, 2004
TORONTO -- A nudist group took aim at the Toronto Police Service yesterday after the sex crimes unit mentioned a man accused of sexually assaulting a girl was a naturist. Charges of sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl, making pornographic pictures of her and distributing them were added to child pornography charges previously laid against Robert Clemens, police said yesterday.
November 18, 2004 - 10:45 am Toronto Police Service New charges against Toronto man - Making Child Pornography
(Child Exploitation Tracking System links two international investigations in Toronto)
Sex Crimes Unit
416-808-8503
The Child Exploitation Section of the Sex Crimes Unit has charged a man previously arrested on child pornography offences with sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl, making pornographic pictures of her and distributing them.
In September of 2003, the F.B.I., in the United States, dismantled a "Yahoo" newsgroup whose members were involved in the distribution of child pornography. Information regarding members of the group was disseminated to police services throughout the world.
Police in Staffordshire, England, arrested one member of this group and subsequently performed forensic examinations on the computers seized in their investigation. This examination revealed that the accused person in England was communicating and exchanging images of children with a person believed to be living in Toronto. This person was known only by an on-line alias.
The Child Exploitation Tracking System (CETS) identified a link between the information arising from the FBI investigation, and a separate investigation conducted by the Department of Homeland Security known as Operation Falcon. Falcon has identified persons in Toronto who are believed to have purchased access to child pornography over the Internet. Microsoft built the Child Exploitation Tracking System for law enforcement to analyze the vast amounts of information seized during Internet child pornography investigations and track offenders.
On Thursday, September 9, 2004, members of the Child Exploitation Section executed a criminal code search warrant at his Toronto residence. As a result of this search warrant, a large quantity of child pornography and camera equipment was seized. One of the cameras seized was used to take child pornography images of a young girl.
Members of the Child Exploitation Section have conducted numerous interviews of children associated to the accused since his arrest, in an effort to identify the victim. The victim in the pornographic images has now been identified. It is alleged that she had been both photographed and sexually assaulted by the accused.
The accused sent one of these images to the man in England.
The Peel Regional Police Service, Internet Child Exploitation Unit, was of great assistance during this investigation.
Accused: Robert Noel Clemens, 38, of Toronto
New Charges: (1) Sexual Assault
(2) Sexual Interference
(3) Make Child Pornography (2 Counts)
(4) Distribute Child Pornography
(5) Possession of Child Pornography (2 Counts)
Clemens is a member of the Ontario Roaming Bares, a nudist organization, and associated with the Toronto Area Naturist Society.
Anyone with information regarding Clemens and his activities, particularly any members of the Ontario Roaming Bares, is asked to contact Detective Constable Vruna of the Child Exploitation Section at 416-808-8503 or Crime Stoppers at 416-222 TIPS (8477).
Clemens is presently in custody and scheduled to appear in Courtroom 406 in Scarborough Court on Friday November 26th, 2004 at 10 a.m.
Constable Krisitne Bacharach, Corporate Communications, for Detective Sergeant Paul Gillespie, Sex Crimes Unit
