A 19-year-old Burnaby, B.C., man is facing nearly two dozen charges related to the online sexual extortion of teens in several Canadian provinces.
Mounties began investigating after victims in Nova Scotia, Quebec and Ontario reported being extorted by someone they’d met on social media with whom they’d shared explicit images.
In a Tuesday media release, Burnaby RCMP alleged the suspect then threatened to share the images with the victims’ social networks if they didn’t pay him money.
The majority of the victims were between the ages of 15 and 18, according to police.
Police raided the suspect’s home in January 2023, and last month Anwer Jelassi was charged with 23 offences.
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The charges include multiple child pornography offences along with extortion and child luring.
“We would really like to commend these victims for coming forward and reporting these incidents to police,” Burnaby RCMP child abuse and sexual offences unit Cpl. Max Gagné said in the release.
“Their bravery in stepping forward and telling someone has allowed us to advance this investigation, which has now resulted in criminal charges.”
Jelassi has been released under multiple conditions, including no contact with anyone under the age of 16 and a ban on using social networking or dating sites, including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Bumble and Tinder.
Anyone with information suggesting he’s breaking those conditions is asked to call Burnaby RCMP at 604-646-9999.