A 28-year-old man has been charged with six offences after Edmonton police allege he lured a child using the social media platform Snapchat.
Police said Friday that in September, the man sent a friend request to an unknown 11-year-old girl via Snapchat using the user name “likeshacklebolt.”
The pair communicated on Snapchat and shortly after, began meeting in person, according to police. In October, police said the pair was driving together in the man’s vehicle at which time the man allegedly pulled into an alley, sexually assaulted the girl and then dropped her off at home.
Kingsley Mayers, 28, was arrested on Oct. 23. He is charged with sexual assault, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, luring a child, indecent exposure to a person under 16 and distributing cannabis to a person under 18 years of age.
Mayers is also known to use the name Craig Alan Golka, according to police.
Police said the girl is receiving support from the Zebra Child Protection Centre.
Det. Derek Onysko with the Edmonton Police Service said Friday that parents should pay close attention to how their children are using the internet.
“These predators are having communications with these kids over technology or mobile devices when they are in the comfort of their own home,” Onysko said. “I would recommend for parents to be vigilant and make sure they are having those important conversations with their kids about online safety and monitor what they are doing.
“A lot of parents… tell me that they don’t monitor their kids online activity, and of course we all want to trust our kids, but when they are being manipulated by others it’s sometimes difficult.”
Investigators believe there may be more victims out there and asked anyone who may have been victimized to call the Edmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone.
This is the second time in as many days Edmonton police have released information regarding charged laid in relation to social media use.
On Thursday, police said a 20-year-old man was charged with sexual assault with a weapon, sexual assault, forceful confinement, choking to overcome resistance, strangulation, making sexual explicit material available to a child with intent and breaching his conditions.
The charges were laid after two teenage girls reported they had been sexually assault by a man they met through social media.