A 52-year-old man has been charged by Huronia West OPP following a child luring investigation.
OPP say they got a call on October 26, 2023, from Simcoe County Family Connexions regarding a youth being lured over the internet by an adult.
"During the online interactions, investigations discovered numerous messages of sexual nature being sent by the accused to the youth," OPP stated in a release. "The Huronia West Crime Unit began an investigation and identified the accused who resides in St. Catharines."
A search warrant was executed on Tuesday in St. Catharines by the Huronia West OPP Crime Unit, OPP Child Exploitation Unit, OPP Digital Forensics Unit, and the Niagara Region Police Service Internet Child Exploitation Unit.
The accused's electronic devices were seized, and he was charged with:
- Fail to Comply with Prohibition Regarding Children - two counts
- Luring a Person Under 16 years of age by means of Telecommunication - three counts
He remains in custody, according to OPP, and has a future court date.
"The OPP will continue to actively identify and pursue individuals who use technology to exploit children," officers added.
"Parents are reminded to take a proactive approach to help protect their children from online sexual exploitation by speaking with their children regarding internet safety. Parents can find resources to assist them at cybertip.ca and protactchildren.ca."
Banner image - file photo - Barrie 360
