A former North Bay man who has already been sentenced to life in prison relating to sexual abuse and raping a four-year-old girl in a child pornography case in Virginia back in 2017, is facing another 35 years of prison time in connection to his role with a website dedicated to the abuse of children.
Benjamin Faulkner, 28, was sentenced in a Tennessee Court earlier this week along with three other American men in relation to an anonymous website called the Giftbox Exchange.
“The sentences imposed on these despicable individuals should ensure that they never have another opportunity to abuse another child,” said U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee in the Tennessean.
“With all that we have, we will continue to hunt down the evil and abominable like-minded individuals who delight in abusing children and will bring them to justice."
The Giftbox Exchange site was shut down back in November 2016. At the time, it had more than 72,000 registered users and 56,000 posts. The site was categorized by different types of child pornography and included a subsection for "Babies and Toddlers."
They also ran a site called Child's Play, which was the world's largest child abuse website.
Faulkner, who had worked in North Bay as a YMCA lifeguard for more than six years, along with American Patrick Falte, 27, who was also involved and charged in this case, pled guilty in U.S. federal court in Richmond, Virginia in 2017 to the aggravated sexual abuse of a minor. The two were business partners.
See related: North Bay man faces life in prison in the U.S.
Faulkner had experience working as an internet security professional. Through an international investigation, Faulkner and his partner were intercepted online by police while the two were running a dark website called “Child’s Play.”
Faulkner worked as an administrator for the site under the nickname “Warhead.”
While living in North Bay he taught swimming and played trumpet in a local band.
According to court documents in 2017, Faulkner made two trips to Virginia in 2015 and 2016 to sexually abuse a child.
YMCA Statement re: Benjamin Faulkner
After first being contacted by a detective from the Toronto Police Service in 2016, we learned of the investigation and subsequent arrest and conviction of Benjamin Faulkner in relation to illegal acts he had committed while living in the USA. He was a former employee whose job with the YMCA of North Bay ended in 2014. We were shocked and disturbed to hear of the charges and cooperated fully with the police investigation.
Our hearts go out to all of the children and families who were affected by these horrendous crimes.
As an organization we remain strongly committed to the safety and well-being of the children in our care, and have comprehensive policies and practices that are always a top priority.
Sylvie Montpellier
Interim CEO
YMCA of Northeastern Ontario
