Dominique Lott, the mayor of Échenon, refuses to resign from his post despite his arrest in a large child pornography case that occurred in mid-November, reported our colleagues from France Bleu.
The city councilor of this small town of 800 inhabitants located south of Dijon, in Côte-d'Or, has indicated that he will remain in office until his trial on April 26, 2023, while anger is brewing within of its administrators.
Some of the inhabitants of the village gathered on Friday evening November 25 to demand his resignation, and circulated a petition having collected a hundred signatures.
"
Knowing that the mayor lives above the school, it sends shivers down your spine
," a parent told local radio.
Read alsoChild pornography: a mayor and men linked to child welfare among those arrested
“
For now he doesn't want to leave, although we asked him to.
He is awaiting his judgment in court, and no one can force him to resign
, ”explained one of the deputy mayors to the inhabitants of Échenon on Friday.
The mayor admitted "some of the charges"
The dragnet, coordinated by the Central Office for the Suppression of Violence against Persons (OCRVP), made it possible to arrest 48 men of very different profiles in mid-November, suspected of having downloaded and consulted massively photos and videos child pornography.
Read alsoThe horror of commissioned child rape
The mayor acknowledged “
part of the charges
” namely the dissemination, possession and acquisition of the image of a minor of a pornographic nature, had indicated the public prosecutor in Dijon, Olivier Caracotch.
Dominique Lott had in his possession "
image and video files depicting minors aged 5 to 15, in suggestive poses, or having sex with each other or with adults
", according to the magistrate.
According to the Criminal Code, the consultation of child pornography photos or videos is punishable by five years' imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros.