SCARBOROUGH – A Fergus man and two men from Guelph are among 64 people charged by the OPP in a province-wide online child sexual abuse investigation.
“Project Aquatic” took place between Feb. 19 and 29 and included “both reactive and proactive” methods, the OPP stated in a May 8 press release.
Investigators conducted 129 separate investigations as part of the project, and identified and arrested “those making, possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material,” police say.
“The identified victims were provided victim support, and impacted children were safeguarded.”
The investigation, part of the provincial Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) strategy, resulted in:
- 34 victims identified;
- 30 children safeguarded;
- 348 charges laid against 64 people; and
- 607 electronic devices were seized.
“Through the provincial ICE strategy, we stand together in supporting victims, preventing victimization, and dismantling predatory activities,” stated OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique.
“We are unrelenting in our mission to safeguard children and hold perpetrators accountable.”
Among those charged are:
- Thomas Gallagher, 64, of Fergus, two counts of making sexually explicit material available and five counts of luring a person under 16;
- two Guelph men (not identified), one aged 20 and the other 55, each facing three charges: possession of, accessing and distribution of child pornography; and
- three unidentified men from Cambridge and one from Kitchener, various charges.
Gallagher was released from custody and is to appear in Chatham-Kent court on May 23.
Police say members of the public can learn about how to keep children safe at Canadian Centre for Child Protection and anyone with information on instances of child exploitation can call 911, contact local police and/or report it at cybertip.ca.
