Local police played a hand in nabbing a suspect as part of a child sexual exploitation investigation.
On Tuesday, November 18, a search warrant was executed at a Sarnia residence as part of an ongoing investigation involving the Ontario Provincial Police Child Sexual Exploitation Unit, Lambton County OPP, members of the OPP Digital Forensics Unit, and Chatham-Kent Police Service.
A number of electronic devices were seized and a 35-year-old Sarnia man was arrested. The accused is now charged with four counts of luring a person under 16 years of age.
Following a bail hearing, the suspect was released from custody and is scheduled to be back in court in Sarnia next month.
“Online child sexual exploitation is a serious crime that harms the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Detective Staff Sergeant Chris Barkey with the OPP Child Sexual Exploitation Unit in a news release. “As law enforcement we must continue to work tirelessly with our partners to identify offenders and protect victims of abuse and exploitation. We encourage anyone with information about these crimes to come forward.”
Parents are reminded to take a proactive approach to help protect their children from online sexual exploitation by educating their children on internet safety. Parents can find resources to assist them by visiting cybertip.ca or protectchildren.ca.