5 people from Waterloo region charged in province-wide child exploitation investigation
Police have charged 107 people after a massive month-long child exploitation investigation spanning the entire province.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say Project Maverick focused on internet crimes and resulted in 428 charges, including possession and access of child pornography, making child pornography, luring and voyeurism.
“This is a snapshot of one month out of the year to show that everyone has a role to play when it comes to protecting our children,” OPP Detective Insp. Jordan Whitesell said in a video produced by OPP. “If you are watching this and you have information about a child being abused online, take this as a sign to report it to police or cybertip.ca. You can make a difference.”
The investigations happened in October and were a collaborative effort led by OPP involving 27 police agencies throughout Ontario.
“The things that we see with child sexual abuse material is jurisdiction doesn’t matter, and so we really need to access one another’s resources to deal with the really highly mobile nature of this crime,” Whitesell told CTV News.
LOCAL CHARGES
Among the over 100 people charged are four from Cambridge, two from Woodstock and one each from Kitchener and Guelph.
Waterloo regional police say they completed seven search warrants and arrested four men and one woman as part of Project Maverick. Local investigators also gathered information that led to the arrest of a man in the United Kingdom.
Across the province, OPP say 61 victims were identified, and another 60 children were safeguarded.
In Waterloo region, Waterloo regional police Sgt. Brian Duyn said police “know of four child victims and at least another three who were living with offenders.”
Ontario Provincial Police say there are 175 ongoing investigations where additional charges may be laid. As for Waterloo regional police, they say they’ll continue to crack down on predators and have over 400 files pending.
“[It’s] overwhelming, the number of cases,” Duyn said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.