He was a leading figure in the community world. He ran a help center for new arrivals. But Gilles Provencher lived a double life. For years, he allegedly paid accomplices in Mali to sexually exploit children in “human misery”. Assaults broadcast live for his sole pleasure. Up to 40 girls are said to have fallen into his clutches.
Kadia* is 8 years old. She lives in great poverty in a village in Mali. Her mother received thousands of dollars from a stranger to hand over her daughter to pasture. Videos of the child are exchanged on Facebook. An international investigation was then launched. The foreigner would be Gilles Provencher.
“Finding new victims was his way of life,” testified investigator Mélodie Leclerc of the Montreal City Police Service (SPVM). “It’s almost a way of life. It was a daily search,” argued Crown prosecutor M.e Hugo Rousse.
The 77-year-old Montrealer faces 13 charges, including production of child pornography, incitement to sexual contact of a minor and luring. Detained since May 2023, Gilles Provencher wishes to be released, but the Crown is opposed to this. It was during this hearing, at the end of March, that the details of this unique file were revealed.
“Despicable”, “odious”, “perverted”. There was no shortage of epithets during the hearing to describe the crimes allegedly committed by Gilles Provencher against dozens of little Malian girls.
His victims were little girls living in extreme poverty, especially young people aged 12 and 13. There are also two babies and 15 to 20 “more developed” teenagers.
Gilles Provencher was director of Carrefour Solidarité Anjou, an organization that helps new arrivals in eastern Montreal. He was close to the African community in Montreal. Last year, he even took part in a press conference to ask the government for help for asylum seekers. According to his colleagues, he had an “aura”.
But in the shadows, Gilles Provencher collected images of child pornography and recruited young girls in Mali, where he lived for around ten years, according to the evidence presented by the prosecution. This evidence, however, was not tested during a trial.
Live
“His modus operandi is well-oiled. It is he who puts in place the strategies to find girls vulnerable enough to produce child pornography,” testified investigator Mélodie Leclerc of the SPVM.
Through accomplices, the Montrealer could, for example, finance a dance competition in a poor village in Mali, then target the young girls dancing the “sexiest”. Other times, accomplices found prey for him, according to very specific criteria. “He shopped for them, he met them online, he chose them. He used connections he had in Mali to recruit children to produce child pornography and commit sexual abuse on them via accomplices in Mali,” summarized Crown prosecutor M.e Hugo Rousse.
According to the evidence, Gilles Provencher transferred $16,000 to six women in Africa, including three identified accomplices. A Montrealer of Malian origin claims to have made several transfers for the accused, naively believing he was helping people in Mali.
“In his statement to the police, he admits that he paid for young girls, he said that it was for their school,” underlines Me Redhead.
According to the prosecution, Gilles Provencher engaged in “grooming”, that is to say, he gradually desensitized his victims to sexuality.
For example, he paid them beautiful dresses and hairstyles for posing. Over the months, they were made to undress, then make sexual gestures with other children or with women. The gestures described during the hearing are very explicit.
“On some files, the girls will send the photo saying “Thank you Grandpa”. In others, they will say that they are Mme Provencher. In a real-time video, the (telephone) number associated with Mr. Provencher will be grandpa,” relates investigator Leclerc.
According to the police officer, Gilles Provencher watched the sexual assaults of his victims live. Unlike most pedophiles, he did not share his production of child pornography. The investigator’s testimony, however, reveals that “live” attacks on children are a growing phenomenon.
“Many consumers of child pornography will send each other a link at a specific time. There will be an attack in real time. The attackers can make demands (…). This is a trend that we are seeing more and more,” explains the investigator.
Public perception
In the eyes of the Crown, the public would be shocked to learn of the release of Gilles Provencher given the particularly serious circumstances of the case. “It’s odious,” insisted Me Redhead, who does not identify any mitigating factors. For such crimes, he could ask for at least 8 to 10 years in prison, he said.
According to the defense lawyer, Mr.e Jonas Fadeu, a reasonable and well-informed public could understand that a man with no prior record like Gilles Provencher could be released until his trial. “His risk of reoffending is low,” he argued. The accused offers to live, alone, in his son’s building.
Judge Christian M. Tremblay mentioned very severe conditions if he decided to release him. “You don’t touch a computer!” And no cell phone. Nothing. Nada. Zero,” he said.
The magistrate nevertheless seemed to procrastinate on the question of public perception, a crucial criterion. He will make his decision at the end of the month.
And as for Kadia, she still remains the investigator’s “number one priority”. “We went to strike at Interpol, we hope to have a return soon,” she concluded.
* Fictitious first name
What there is to know
Gilles Provencher is accused of numerous sex crimes against children. He wants to be released until the end of his trial.
The 77-year-old Montrealer allegedly paid accomplices to sexually exploit young girls in Mali.
The accused ran Carrefour Solidarité Anjou, an organization that helps new arrivals.
reference: www.lapresse.ca