The single drug charge against former Sudbury reporter Callam Senyk-O’Flanagan (who also goes by Callam Rodya) has been withdrawn by the Crown’s office.
Senyk-O’Flanagan was charged with drug possession (cocaine) when he was first charged in February 2019 with five counts of possession of child pornography, two counts of accessing child pornography, and three counts of distribution/sending child pornography.
Both the Crown and the defence are preparing for a one-day preliminary hearing on Oct. 21. The Crown has two witnesses that will testify.
A preliminary hearing is held to see whether the Crown has the evidence needed to commit the accused person to stand trial.
The Ministry of the Attorney General said that, on Oct. 21, Senyk-O’Flanagan will either be committed for trial in the Superior Court of Justice or acquitted.
Senyk-O’Flanagan is being represented by Sudbury lawyer Jacob Gauthier and Toronto lawyer Michael Lacy.
Senyk-O’Flanagan was arrested Feb. 13, 2019, following a months-long investigation by Greater Sudbury Police’s Cyber Crime Unit. Police allege he downloaded child pornography using a file-sharing site between October 2018 and February 2019.
A search warrant of his home also resulted in the seizure of a small baggie containing what was suspected to be cocaine, resulting in the drug charge that was dropped by the Crown today.