WINDSOR -- A LaSalle doctor has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.
Ashim Verma, 36, pleaded guilty to the single charge in Windsor court on Wednesday.
Verma was charged in August 2018 after officers from LaSalle police, the OPP Child Sexual Exploitation Unit and the OPP Digital Forensics Unit used a search warrant to raid a home in LaSalle.
Police say they seized more than 2,000 images and 157 videos containing child pornography during the raid as part of a seven-month investigation.
Verma was initially charged with one count of making available child pornography and two counts of possession of child pornography.
Verma was an Interventional Cardiologist at Windsor Regional Hospital.
At the time of his arrest, the hospital released a statement saying Verma was a member of their staff since October 2017.
"As with all medical staff who seek to practice medicine at WRH, there was a due diligence process in advance of Dr. Verma being granted privileges to do so – this included obtaining a Criminal Record Check (including a Vulnerable Sector Search) and a Certificate of Professional Conduct from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario," said the statement.
Verma also had his hospital privileges revoked after he was charged.
Sentencing has been set for Jan. 14, 2020.