Child exploitation investigation leads to charges against Mississauga man

A Mississauga man faces child exploitation charges after police say a youth under the age of 16 was contacted online and exposed to “sexually explicit material.”

Officers with the Ontario Provincial Police child sexual exploitation unit executed a search warrant at a Mississauga home this past Sunday as part of an ongoing investigation.

Other OPP officers and the Canada Border Services Agency assisted in the search, which led to the seizure of several electronic devices, police said in a news release on Thursday.

An arrest was made a short time later.

Vineeth Vimal, 40, of Mississauga, is charged with two counts each of luring a person under 16 years of age and making sexually explicit material available to a person under 16 years of age.

The accused was released from custody following a bail hearing and is scheduled to appear again in Brampton court on Dec. 23.

OPP say they’ll continue to pursue those who use technology to exploit children.

Police remind parents to take a proactive approach to help protect their children from online sexual exploitation by educating them on internet safety.

“Child sexual exploitation remains a serious concern in Ontario. Offenders are increasingly using technology to target children,” Detective Staff Sergeant Chris Barkey, of the OPP’s child sexual exploitation unit, said in the news release. “Addressing this threat demands a coordinated response with police, parents and community partners working together to create safer environments for children.”