A Corunna man is among more than 60 people charged in connection to a province-wide child exploitation investigation, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said Wednesday.
The 22-year-old suspect faces multiple charges including possession of child pornography, two counts of making child pornography, three counts of sexual assault (person under 16) and three counts of sexual interference.
The accused was released from custody with a court date slated for Wednesday.
The OPP announced what they called ‘staggering’ numbers in the multi-jurisdictional online child exploitation investigation, dubbed, Project Aquatic, Wednesday, pointing to 34 victims identified, 64 people charged and 348 charges laid. More than 600 electronic devices were seized as part of the operation.
The investigation involved the OPP-led Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet (Provincial ICE [Internet Child Exploitation] Strategy), between Feb. 19-29, 2024, “with investigators identifying and arresting those making, possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material. The identified victims were provided victim support, and impacted children were safeguarded,” OPP said in a news release.
“Notably, during the investigation, one individual set up a meeting with undercover investigators intending to meet with a child in real life for a sexual purpose. Another individual was in possession of approximately 21 terabytes of data containing child sexual abuse material.”
A media event was held in Scarborough for the announcement, led by OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique, OPP Detective Staff Sergeant Tim Brown, and Signy Arnason, Associate Executive Director for the Canadian Centre for Child Protection.
During the event, a human-sized graphic displayed an iceberg, showing the 129 investigations completed during Project Aquatic and the 8,638 investigations completed in 2023 above the surface.
In addition, 82,082 investigations were completed between 2006 and 2023 by the Provincial ICE Strategy's 27 police services, representing the bottom of the iceberg beneath the water.
Within that period, 29,025 charges were laid against 7,493 people. These completed investigations demonstrate the scope of the issue regarding child sexual abuse material, “which remains a pervasive safety issue that is often unseen by many members of the public,” OPP added.
"Child sexual exploitation is a grave crime with lasting effects,” Carrique said. “We're dedicated to prevention and accountability. “
Officials acknowledged the significant contributions of parents, educators, child advocacy organizations, government and technology providers in combating the issue.
Provincial ICE Strategy members urge all parties to remain vigilant and to intensify their involvement to further strengthen the collective effort to protect children from victimization. Members of the public are invited to learn about how to keep children safe at Canadian Centre for Child Protection or cybertip.ca.
“We need everyone's support to combat this community issue,” Carrique added. “If you see something, report it. Together, we can create a safer environment for all children, ensuring their well-being and protection."