Hundreds of charges have been laid across Ontario in connection with a provincial strategy to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation on the internet.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said during October, 27 police services conducted 255 investigations, completed 168 search warrants and seized 1,032 devices during the strategy, known as Project MAVERICK.
“In total, 428 charges were laid against 107 people,” police said in a news release Wednesday.
A full list of the individuals charged can be found here.
Police said those arrested ranged in age from 18 to 86 years old.
Officers said during the investigations, 61 victims were identified and were “referred to appropriate community-based resources for assistance.”
Another 60 children were safeguarded, police said.
Officers said there are 175 ongoing investigations where additional charges may be laid.
The project included the Ministry of the Attorney General and Solicitor General, and 27 police agencies including Barrie, Durham, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Niagara, Ottawa, Peterborough, York and Toronto.
“Since the provincial strategy began in 2006, it has completed 65,564 investigations and laid 24,608 charges against 6,540 people,” police said. “A total of 3,470 victims have been identified worldwide.”
In a video, OPP Det. Insp. Jordan Whitesell said the statistics represent a “snapshot of one month out of the year to show that everyone has a role to play when it comes to protecting our children.”
OPP Chief Supt. Kari Dart said since 2006, police have seen a “massive increase in cases, arrests and charges.”
“For more than a decade, the police services represented here have worked together to address a crime that has no boundaries and that respects no jurisdiction,” Dart said in a video. “We have one goal: to combat child sexual abuse and exploitation. We can only do that through a collaborative and authentic approach as these investigations take us all over the province and beyond.”
Toronto police said during October, the force’s internet child exploitation (I.C.E.) team conducted 24 search warrants in 20 days, arrested 23 people and laid 96 criminal charges.
Toronto police (TPS) said 131 devices allegedly containing images of child sexual abuse and exploitation were seized.
The force said 22 victims were identified, and 10children were safeguarded.
“In one instance, members of TPS, with the assistance of international partners, identified a person of interest on the dark web who was planning on kidnapping and abusing young children,” police alleged in a news release. “TPS and OPP members investigated the accused’s location and traveled to a remote Northern Ontario town to execute search warrants and make an arrest.”
The OPP said the investigations continue. Anyone with information regarding any child exploitation investigation is asked to contact their local police.
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