6-month jail sentence handed to B.C. man found with 4,000 child porn files

A B.C. man caught with thousands of pornographic images and videos of children has been sentenced to jail time.

White Rock resident Frederick James Bugden, 57, was sentenced last week to six months in jail and two years of probation, court records show.

Bugden pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography last May. The former Delta resident was arrested after an investigation that led to the discovery of more than 4,000 child pornography files on his electronic devices, according to Delta Police Insp. Guy Leeson.

"Investigations such as these are disturbing to both our officers and the community. We're satisfied that the accused chose to plead guilty, and that he will be monitored when he is released," Leeson said in a press release.

He said no local children are believed to have been abused in connection with Bugden's crimes.

As part of his sentence, Bugden will have to report annually as a registered sex offender for the next 10 years, according to police. The terms of his probation bar him from visiting schools, parks and other areas frequented by children, and he's not allowed any contact or online communication with anyone under the age of 16.

Bugden originally faced two additional charges of accessing child porn and distributing child porn, but those were stayed after his guilty plea.