5 men charged with sex crimes in Quebec City court

Five men were charged in a Quebec City courtroom today for soliciting sexual services from a minor and luring a minor through social media.

The men, aged between 24 and 50 years old, were arrested earlier this month and released on a promise to appear.

Crown prosecutor Mélanie Dufour told reporters the accused must meet several conditions:

• They cannot be in the presence of a minor without being accompanied by another adult who is aware of their charges.

• They cannot work or volunteer in a position where they would have authority over minors.

• They cannot visit hotels, motels, massage parlors or other businesses where there could be prostitution.

• They must stay away from social media and other chat sites where there could be prostitution.

The men were targeted as part of a joint operation involving Quebec City police and a provincewide squad specialized in human trafficking and prostitution cases, headed up by the Montreal police service.

Conviction for luring a minor carries a minimum sentence of a year in prison; soliciting sexual services from a minor has a six-month minimum sentence if convicted.

They are set to appear again in court April 4.