A 21-year-old man from Mercier had his home searched this week and is facing child pornography charges, Quebec provincial police say.

Alexandre Paulhus-Courtois appeared at the courthouse in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield on Tuesday, according to a news release on Wednesday.

He's been charged with possession and distribution of child pornography. After searching his home, police seized his computer equipment for analysis, they said.

The investigation was carried out by Quebec officers specializing in the sexual exploitation of children on the Internet, and they work closely with RCMP and other police forces in the country.

Any information on Paulhus-Courtois can be given to provincial police at 1-800-659-4264.

And any situation involving young people's online sexual exploitation can be reported to www.cyberaide.ca.