Three Windsor Essex men arrested for Internet child pornography plot

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Three local men, two from Windsor and one from Amherstburg, were among 107 people arrested and charged under a statewide initiative against Internet child pornography in October. .

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On Wednesday, OPP and 26 other police services in Ontario announced the results of Project Maverick. This is part of the state’s strategy to protect children from online sexual abuse and exploitation.

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supplement. Windsor police officer Dan Potvin says internet crime against children transcends borders.

“The success of Project Maverick and the state’s strategy is the result of our collective efforts to continue investigating crimes against children and holding perpetrators to account,” Potvin said in a release.

Potvin said the Windsor Police Service’s Internet Child Exploitation unit includes analysts and digital forensics technicians and is supported by a number of law enforcement partners and international agencies.

During October, Project Maverick brought a total of 428 indictments against 107 defendants.

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Over the course of 255 investigations, police partners identified 61 victims and took steps to protect an additional 60 children.

The OPP said Wednesday it has 175 ongoing cases that could result in additional charges.

“These numbers are shocking, but they give us hope by showing what our teams are willing to do to protect children,” said Supt Chief. Kali Dart of OPP’s Office of Investigative Support.

The local defendants are a 43-year-old Windsor man, a 27-year-old Windsor man, and a 45-year-old Amherstburg man.

A 43-year-old Windsor man faces two charges each of possession of child pornography, access to child pornography, and distribution of child pornography.

A 27-year-old man from Windsor faces six counts of possession of child pornography and six counts of access to child pornography.

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A 45-year-old Amherstburg man faces four charges for luring a person under the age of 16.

Participating agencies in Project Maverick included police services in Windsor, Chatham-Kent, Sarnia, London, Toronto, Peel Area, Hamilton, Kingston and Ottawa.

More Sergeant Jamie King of OPP, one of Project Maverick’s leaders, says Internet crimes against children cannot be addressed by police efforts alone.

“We ask all people around the world to recognize the importance we play in protecting children. Report these crimes, stay vigilant and educate yourself. please,” he said.