Arrests in Ontario child exploitation case lead OPP to Oakville, Burlington, Milton
Published May 8, 2024 at 2:03 pm
A province-wide investigation into the making, possessing and distribution of child sexual abuse material has led to charges against several people in Halton Region.
Initiated by the OPP in an operation called Project Aquatic, 34 young victims were identified with 30 others under the age of 18 alerted by authorities that they were being targetted.
Police said the number of arrests was “staggering” with those charged coming from all walks of life from teenagers to senior citizens.
Halton police were also part of the investigation that took place this past February.
The large-scale effort included at least one police undercover operation that involved a person who’s alleged to have attempted to set up a “real-life meeting” for “a sexual purpose” with one of the victims, investigators said.
Those from Halton charged are:
Videos
Bryce Harmindy, 35, Oakville
- Make available child pornography
- Possession of child pornography (two counts)
- Accessing child pornography
Thomas Gernon, 40, Oakville
- Possession of child pornography (two counts)
- Accessing child pornography
- Distribution of child pornography
Owen Seese, 27, Oakville
- Possession of child pornography (two counts)
- Accessing child pornography
Cameron Martin, 27, Burlington
- Possession of child pornography (two counts)
- Accessing child pornography
- Distribution of child pornography
Cameron Ivens, 42, Milton
- Possession of child pornography (two counts)
- Distribution of child pornography
- Accessing child pornography
- Sexual assault (eight counts)
- Exposure to a person under 16 (two counts)
- Assault (two counts)
- Sexual interference (four counts)
- Invitation to sexual touching
- Voyeurism under 16 (14 counts)
Police added the making and distributing of child sexual abuse material “remains a pervasive safety issue” that often goes unseen by many people.
They said parents must be vigilant in knowing what their children are doing while online — whether on their laptops, home computers or phones.
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