Jul 08, 2013 01:17 PM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

Police have arrested the University of Toronto's (U of T) professor Benjamin Levin for multiple counts of child pornography, the Toronto Star reported.

Levin, 61, was arrested Monday and charged with two counts of distributing child pornography and one count each of making child pornography, counseling to commit an indictable offense and agreeing to or arranging for a sexual offence against a child under 16.

Levin is currently a professor at the U of T's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) and the chair of Canada's research in education and leadership policy. He also served as deputy minister of education from 2004-2009 under the former Ontario Premiere Dalton McGuinty.

"It sounds crazy - You always hear people say, 'He is such a nice man' when someone is arrested like this," said an OISE colleague of Levin's, who asked not to be named. "But it's true. You would never expect it."

Levin was currently serving on the current Ontario Premiere Kathleen Wynne's transition team. Her office released a statement saying they would not comment on an ongoing police matter.

"It would be inappropriate to comment on matters that are under police investigation or where charges have been laid and any questions regarding police investigation or the laying of charges should be referred to the police," an official said.

Levin's unnamed colleague said he was one of the most respected people in urban education and said, "It's unbelievable that it would be [Levin]."

The investigation involved both the New Zealand police and the London police, both thanked for their compliance by the Toronto police. Toronto's child exploitation division of the police's sex crimes unit led the investigation.

According to Levin's curriculum vitae, he had made numerous trips to New Zealand in the past three years for education presentations and conferences.

He is set to appear in court Monday afternoon.

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