A B.C. man has been convicted of child exploitation following a proactive investigation by the B.C. RCMP Integrated Child Exploitation Unit.
Sant Mangat from Surrey pleaded guilty on Jan. 20 and was sentenced to a 15-month conditional sentence order for the offence of telecommunicating to lure a child under 16.
“Mangat was also sentenced to 12 months probation and must abide by multiple conditions, including those governing his access to the internet and children under the age of 16,” B.C. RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark said.
Mangat, 72, was arrested by the Mounties on Dec. 15, 2021, after a 22-month investigation that began in March 2020.
“This conviction is a direct result of the work of our specialized ICE investigators, who identified a possible online predator communicating with someone whom they believed to be a youth online,” Const. Katherine Bizier said.
“Our investigators work on a daily basis to identify, pursue, and disrupt offenders of these crimes targeting children.”
The specialized RCMP unit warns that parents need to be aware of their children’s online activities and to talk to their kids about online dangers. They suggest people visit the Canadian Centre for Child Protection website for resources and information.
Mounties in B.C. have issued multiple warnings over the last few years of a sharp rise in sextortion crimes.
Investigators say the sextortion scheme typically begins with a suspect initiating a flirtatious online conversation with a youth.
“Once the relationship has been established, the suspect convinces the victim to engage in sexually explicit activities, such as sending a nude photo or videos of themselves,” said Cpl. Alexa Hodgins.
“Once received, the suspect threatens to distribute the photos or videos to the victim’s family and friends unless payment is received.”
The B.C. RCMP also has an information webpage for online safety for more information regarding sextortion crimes.
Support is available for those who have been victimized:
- The Department of Justice Victim Services Directory includes a list of support services in your area.
- Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) Available 24/7 or Text CONNECT 686868