Conestogo man one of many charged following police child pornography blitz

A CONESTOGO MAN WAS amongst 122 people charged on 551 counts by police in a “snapshot” of child sexual exploitation investigations for the month of November. Nathan Morris, a 45-year-old resident of the township, was charged on two counts of possession of child pornography, two counts of accessing child pornography, and the distribution of child pornography.

The Ontario Provincial Police announced the results of the blitz at a media conference last week, calling it a snapshot of a month’s worth of work by internet child exploitation investigators under the OPP’s provincial strategy to combat online child sexual abuse and exploitation.

“It is our fundamental and moral responsibility to ensure every child grows up safe,” said OPP deputy commissioner Rick Barnum in a media statement. “On behalf of the OPP, I want to make this message very clear: We will not stand for anyone hurting our kids. We will do everything we can to reduce the threat child predators pose to our children.”

Across Ontario, 112 people, including 11 youth, were charged on 551 counts involving child exploitation, ranging from sexual assault to possessing and creating child pornography. In addition, 55 victims were identified during investigations, and were connected with community supports, said the OPP.

In addition, 17 firearms were seized by police, including three loaded handguns.

The numbers, however, represent just the “tip of the iceberg”, police suggest.

“Perpetrators of online sexual exploitation often minimize their actions by saying they were ‘just looking,’” said Staff Sgt. Sharon Hanlon, coordinator of the provincial strategy. “Let me be clear: Anyone who possesses, distributes, accesses or otherwise supports the supply and demand chain for child sexual abuse images are complicit in the sexual exploitation of children.”

The investigations were conducted with the involvement of multiple agencies across Canada and U.S., including the RCMP and Canadian border services, as well as the FBI and United States Homeland Security Investigations.

Since its enactment in 2006, the provincial strategy has resulted in 20,901 charges leveled against 5,686 perpetrators. A total of 50,403 investigations were completed and 2,009 child victims identified.