A 41-year-old Ontario man has been arrested and charged in connection with a cross-Canada sexual assault investigation involving a youth, and police believe there may be more victims.
The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams’ internet child exploitation unit (ICE) alleges the accused sexually assaulted an underage youth he met online.
The victim was “lured and groomed” online before the pair met in Edmonton where the girl was “forced into performing degrading sexual acts,” ALERT said in a news release Friday morning.
ALERT said photos and videos of the offences were later posted online.
Police believe the offences took place in Edmonton, Alta., and Burlington and St. Catharines, Ont., over several years between 2012 and 2014.
“What our victim endured is sickening and she displayed remarkable courage in coming forward,” Cpl. Dave Knight with ALERT ICE said.
Jason Anderson, 41, of St. Catharines, was arrested by Niagara Regional Police on April 29. He is charged with sexual assault, assault, sexual exploitation and making child pornography.
Anderson was transported to Alberta where he appeared in court in Calgary on May 4. He was released on cash bail under a number of conditions, according to ALERT.
ALERT and the Niagara Regional Police Service continue to investigate and believe there may be more victims in both Alberta and Ontario. Anyone with information is asked to come forward. In Alberta, ALERT can be reached at 780-509-3363. In Ontario, the Niagara Regional Police Service can be reached at 905-329-8354 ext. 1009128.