Moorefield man charged in child exploitation project
OPP-led initiative resulted in 55 charges for 17 people across southern Ontario
ORILLIA – A Moorefield man is among 17 people charged in an OPP-led child sexual exploitation initiative dubbed Project Brace.
Fifteen police services took part in the project, which led to 55 charges and 424 electronic devices being seized.
Police say the investigation did not directly identify any victims, but "investigators initiated 23 cases that remain active."
"Online offenders are increasingly leveraging digital technologies to access and exploit children and youth," stated Detective Staff Sergeant Tara Clark in a Nov. 9 press release from the OPP.
"Through social media, gaming platforms, messaging applications, and peer-to-peer networks, they use deceptive tactics to groom victims, distribute child sexual abuse material and evade detection.
"Combating these crimes requires vigilance, education, and collective action from families, communities, industry partners, and law enforcement."
Joseph Simon Pierre Bennett, 46, of Moorefield, was charged with possession of child sexual abuse and exploitation material. He was to appear in Guelph on Nov. 10.
The other people charged, who range in age from 33 to 56, live in nine communities across southern Ontario. Some have not been identified due to a publication ban.
For a complete list of those charged click here.
Members of the Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet say there has been "a significant rise in reports of online child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse material in recent years."
To learn how to keep children safe, visit Canadian Centre for Child Protection.
Anyone with any information related to child sexual exploitation should contact their police or report it to cybertip.ca.
