Hamilton girl, 7, victim of sex assaults
Craigslist used for sex ring, police allege
A Hamilton man is facing 40 charges after the seven-year-old daughter of his girlfriend was allegedly made available for sex through Craigslist and sexually assaulted by multiple people.
The investigation stemming from this case — dubbed Project Links — has also led to charges against the girl’s mother, and seven other people. The six-month, multi-jurisdictional investigation involved four Canadian police services as well as U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.
The assaults came to light when the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton alerted police to a possible child abuse case back in May.
While interviewing the girl on May 3, police said she revealed her mom’s boyfriend was sexually assaulting her.
That night, police arrested a 34year-old Hamilton man, who is charged with multiple counts of sexual assault, sexual interference, making and possessing child pornography, as well as one count of voyeurism.
The voyeurism charge relates to the seven-year-old victim’s older sister, who is younger than 16, said Det. Sgt. David Dunbar of the victims of crime unit. Police would not specify her exact age.
The girl’s mother — a 39-yearold Hamilton woman — was charged on Sept. 21 with failure to provide the necessities of life to a child, police said. She was released on a promise to appear.
Police executed a search warrant at a Hamilton home on May 4 — the day after the boyfriend was charged — where they seized some items.
On May 11, another search warrant was executed, and police said they seized electronic devices and additional property.
The investigation led police to information from electronic devices confirming that other people sexually assaulted the seven-yearold girl and were exchanging child pornography with each other. Four others were arrested: a 36-year-old Hamilton man charged with sexual assault, sexual interference and making child pornography, on May 20;
a 50-year-old Hamilton man charged with making child pornography, possessing child pornography, distributing child pornography and communicating for the purpose of sexual services with someone under 18 years old, on July 13;
a 38-year-old Waterloo man charged with two counts of sexual assault, two counts of sexual interference, two counts of making child pornography and two counts of distributing child pornography, on July 14;
a 48-year-old Waterloo woman charged with sexual assault, sexual interference, making child pornography
and possessing child pornography, on Aug. 9.
Police said they believe everyone tied to the sexual abuse of the seven-year-old girl has been investigated and arrested.
“We believe these arrests have prevented other children from being sexually abused or exposed to imminent dangers,” Dunbar said.
U.S. Homeland Security Investigations became involved with the case because Craigslist is an American-based website.
Ontario Provincial Police and services in Niagara, Waterloo and Chatham-Kent also assisted the investigation, Hamilton police said.
The investigation included 14 search warrants, 15 production orders and the seizure of more than 100 electronic devices and computers.
Because of information shared through Project Links, Waterloo police were able to arrest one man, and Niagara police were able to arrest two.
One arrested in Niagara is 48year-old Geoffrey Burnet, who was previously a teacher at Columbia International College and worked at local school boards.
Police believe there may be other victims.
They are asking anyone with information to contact Det. Michelle Wiley of the child abuse unit at 905-546-3856, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or crimestoppershamilton.com.