A Brisbane photographer who specialises in portraits of child dancers has been charged with 79 offences, including seven counts of rape and supplying dangerous drugs to minor.
The 38-year-old man ran a photographic studio where he specialised in “fine art photography” and “artistic dance portraits” of young children.
Police allege the business was run as a front to procure and abuse children.
A long-running police operation ended on Thursday, when the man’s Geebung home, in Brisbane’s north, was searched.
He was taken into custody and charged with 26 counts of indecent treatment, 30 counts of carnal knowledge of a child, 13 counts of take child for immoral purposes and seven counts of rape.
He was also charged with one count of making child exploitation material and supplying dangerous drugs to minor and stupefying in order to commit indictable offence.
“Anyone that has any information … we encourage them to call Crime Stoppers or Policelink,” Detective Inspector Jon Rouse of Taskforce Argos said.
The man is expected to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court tomorrow morning.
This post originally appeared on ABC News.
© 2017 Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved. Read the ABC Disclaimer here.