Sex-crime suspect faces new charges
Donald Ashley MacPherson, 64 - who’s awaiting trial on charges of sexual assault, touching of minors - now stands accused of accessing and possessing child porn
Editor’s note: The defendant in this court report and the journalist covering the case share the same first and last names, but they aren’t related or connected in any way.
A Noonan man charged earlier this year with six counts alleging he sexually assaulted and touched two minors faces new charges alleging child-pornography offences earlier this year.
The New Brunswick RCMP's internet child exploitation (ICE) unit laid two new charges in Fredericton provincial court this week against Donald Ashley MacPherson, 64.
The charges allege MacPherson accessed child porn between Feb. 12 and April 16 and that he possessed it May 3, both times in Fredericton.
The defendant made his first appearance on those counts Tuesday in provincial court, and the indictable charges were set over to Nov. 7 for election of mode of trial and pleas to give him time to retain counsel and review disclosure.
MacPherson appeared in Fredericton provincial court earlier this year to answer to Fredericton Police Force charges alleging six sexual offences against two underage complainants.
Last month, he elected to be tried in provincial court and pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting one minor, touching that child for a sexual purpose and touching them while in a position of trust or authority, all between Oct. 1, 2022, and Jan. 1 in Fredericton.
He also denied charges alleging that between Jan. 1 and March 1 in Fredericton, he sexually assaulted, touched and exploited a second child while in a position of trust or authority.
MacPherson’s trial on those charges is scheduled for Feb. 16 and 20.
Court heard previously that those two children - whose identities are protected by a court-ordered publication ban - are now eight and 10 years old.
A similar publication ban was imposed Tuesday on the child-pornography offences, suggesting the children depicted the images alleged to have been found might be known victims.
When he was originally charged with the sexual-assault and touching counts, MacPherson’s address was listed in court files as Canada Street in Fredericton, but with the child-porn charges laid this week, the file now lists his address as Hughes Street in Noonan.
The RCMP issued a news release Tuesday afternoon stating the ICE unit’s investigation began in February after it received information from the RCMP's National Child Exploitation Crime Centre.
“On May 3, 2023, members of the RCMP ICE unit, RCMP digital forensic services and the Fredericton Police Force executed a search warrant at a home in Fredericton in connection with the investigation,” it said.
“A 64-year-old man was arrested at the scene, and was later released.”
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.