Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional =
Services=20
Ontario Provincial Police =
News Releases
Attention News Editors:
Province-wide arrests of child pornography offenders
ORILLIA, ON, Feb. 5 /CNW/ =
- The Provincial Strategy to Protect Children
from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet announced it has laid
numerous charges in connection with the largest, coordinated, =
province-wide
child pornography investigation in Ontario's history.
At a media conference in Toronto, OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino =
along
with representatives of Provincial Strategy police partners who were
instrumental in bringing this investigation to a successful conclusion,
announced details about this investigation.
"The most fundamental responsibility of our society is to protect =
our
children," said Commissioner Fantino. "The Ontario police services =
associated
with the Provincial Strategy will stop at nothing to hunt down child =
predators
and eliminate the threat they pose to our children and our communities."
A total of 33 search warrants were executed, resulting in 93-charges
against 31-persons. Charges include Sexual Assault, Sexual Interference,
Making Child Pornography, Make Available Child Pornography, Distribution =
of
Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography. In addition, two =
child
victims have been identified during the investigation thus far.
The accused were charged following raids carried out across Ontario =
on
Wednesday, February 4, 2009. Additional arrests are pending and the
investigation continues.
The Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and
Exploitation on the Internet is comprised of the OPP Child Exploitation
Section and 18 municipal police services. The 18 police services =
partners
include: Barrie PS, Brantford PS, Durham Regional PS, Guelph PS, Greater
Sudbury PS, Halton Regional PS, Hamilton PS, Kingston PS, London PS, =
Niagara
Regional PS, Ottawa PS, Peel Regional PS, Sault Ste. Marie PS, Toronto =
PS,
Thunder Bay PS, Waterloo Regional PS, Windsor PS and the York Regional =
PS.
The Provincial Strategy was created in August 2006 in response to =
the
McGuinty government's request that police develop a coordinated, =
province-wide
approach to combating Internet crimes against children. The Provincial
Strategy is jointly supported by the Ministry of the Attorney-General =
for
Ontario and the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.
Prior to this sweep, from August 2006 to February 4, 2009, the =
Provincial
Strategy completed 4,782 investigations and laid 1,983 charges against =
634
persons. The OPP Child Sexual Exploitation Section investigated an =
additional
996 cases and laid 392 charges against 144 persons during this same =
period.
<<
Charged are:
- John Norman SLED, age 60, of Hamilton, l count of Possession of =
Child
Pornography, 1 count of Make Available Child Pornography, to =
appear
in provincial court, 45 Main St. in Hamilton, Ontario, on =
February 5,
2009
- Terrence BLATCHLEY, age 44, of Niagara Falls, Ontario, 1 count of
Possession of Child Pornography, l count of Distribution of Child
Pornography, 1 count of Make Available Child Pornography, to =
appear in
provincial court February 5, 2009
- Scott ERSMAN, age 18, of Welland, Ontario, 1 count of Possession =
of
Child Pornography, to appear in provincial court on February 5, =
2009
- Michael SPROULE, age 36, of Mississauga, Ontario, 1 count of
Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count Access Child =
Pornography,
1 count Make Available Child Pornography, to appear in provincial
court, 7755 Hurontario St., Brampton, Ontario, on February 4, =
2009
- One young person from Mississauga, Ontario, who cannot be named =
under
the Youth Criminal Justice Act, has been charged with 1 count of
Possession of a Child Pornography, 1 count of Access Child
Pornography, 1 count of Make Available Child Pornography
- Chad GROVES, age 24, of Richmond Hill, 1 count of Possession of =
Child
Pornography, 1 count of Distribution of Child Pornography, to =
appear
in provincial court in Newmarket, Ontario on February 5, 2009
- Alex FIAONI, age 33, of Woodbridge, Ont., 1 count Possession of =
Child
Pornography, 1 count of Distribution of Child Pornography, to =
appear
in provincial court in Newmarket, Ontario on February 5, 2009
- Dane Raymond WILSON, age 40, of Elmira, Ontario, 1 court of =
Possession
of Child Pornography, 1 count of Make Available Child =
Pornography, 1
count of Accessing Child Pornography, to appear in provincial =
court
200 Frederick St. in Kitchener, Ontario on February 5, 2009
- Police executed a Criminal Code search warrant at the residence =
and
charged a Sudbury man with 2 counts of Possession of Child
Pornography, 1 count of Make Available Child Pornography. The =
accused
appeared in provincial court in Sudbury, Ontario on February 4, =
2009.
At the same location, one young person, who cannot be named under =
the
Youth Criminal Justice Act, was charged with 1 count of =
Possession of
a Controlled Substance.
- A 53-year-old Burlington man charged with 1 count of Sexual =
Assault,
1 count of Sexual Interference, 1 Count of Possession of Child
Pornography, 1 count of Make Available Child Pornography. Name
withheld to protect the identity of the victim.
- Nicola IERULLO, age 46, of London, Ontario, 2 counts of =
Possession of
Child Pornography, 2 counts of Distribution of Child Pornography, =
1
count of Possession of a Controlled Substance, to appear in =
provincial
court 80 Dundas St., in London, Ontario, on February 5, 2009
- Michael DiMATTEO, age 18, of London, Ontario, 3 counts of =
Possession
of Child Pornography, 2 counts of Distribution of Child =
Pornography, 1
count of Making Child Pornography, to appear in provincial court, =
80
Dundas St. in London, Ontario, on February 5, 2009
- Christopher CLAUSEN, age 37, of London, Ontario, 2 counts of
Possession of Child Pornography, 2 counts of Distribution of =
Child
Pornography, to appear in provincial court, 80 Dundas Street, in
London, Ontario, on February 5, 2009
- Kevin NISBET, age 42, of London, Ontario, 4 counts of Possession =
of
Child Pornography, 3 counts of Distribution of Child Pornography, =
to
appear in provincial court, 80 Dundas Street, in London, Ontario, =
on
February 5, 2009
- Paul FREESTONE, age 43, of Palmerston, Ontario, 1 count of =
Possession
of Child Pornography, 1 count of Make Available Child =
Pornography, 1
count of Possession of Narcotic for the Purpose of Trafficking
(methamphetamine), to appear in provincial court in Guelph, =
Ontario,
on February 5, 2009
- Martin ROWE, age 42, of Matheson, Ontario, 1 count of Possession =
of a
Controlled Substance, 2 counts Possession of Child Pornography, 1
count Make Available Child Pornography, to appear in provincial =
court
in Timmins, Ontario, on February 5, 2009
- One young person from Oshawa, Ontario, who cannot be named under =
the
Youth Criminal Justice Act has been charged with 1 count of =
Possession
of Child Pornography, 1 count of Make Available Child Pornography
- Kevin KUZMICH, age 34, of Thunder Bay, Ontario, 1 count of =
Possession
of Child Pornography, 1 count of Distribution of Child =
Pornography, to
appear in provincial court in Thunder Bay, Ontario, on February =
5,
2009
- Perry MAECKLER, age 47, of Windsor, Ontario, 1 count of =
Possession of
Child Pornography, 1 count of Distribution of Child Pornography, =
to
appear in provincial court in Windsor, Ontario, on February 5, =
2009
- One young person from Windsor, Ontario, who cannot be named under =
the
Youth Criminal Justice Act has been charged with 1 count of =
Possession
of Child Pornography, 1 count Distribution of Child Pornography
- Colin MITCHELL, age 52, of Brantford, Ontario, 1 count of =
Possession
of Child Pornography, 1 count of Distribution of Child =
Pornography, 1
count of Breach of Probation, to appear in provincial court 44 =
Queen
St., Brantford, Ontario on February 5, 2009
- Mark CARON, age 38, of Wasaga Beach Ontario, 2 counts of =
Possession of
Child Pornography, 1 count of Make Available of Child =
Pornography, to
appear in provincial court in Barrie, Ontario on February 5, 2009
- Vladimir TCHEMISSOV, age 52, of North York, Ontario, 1 count of
Possession of Child Pornography, 1 count of Make Available Child
Pornography, to appear in provincial court, College Park Courts =
in
Toronto on February 5, 2009
- Alessandro VECE, age 40, of North York, Ontario, 2 counts of
Possession of Child Pornography, 2 counts of Make Available Child
Pornography, will appear in court at 1000 Finch Ave., in Toronto =
on
February 5, 2009
- Karl JAMES, age 57, of Guelph, Ontario, 1 count of Possession of =
Child
Pornography, 1 count of Make Available for Distribution, 1 count =
of
Make Child Pornography, to appear in provincial court, 36 Wyndham =
St.
South, in Guelph, Ontario, on February 5, 2009
- Matthew BATES, age 23, of Guelph, Ontario, 1 count of Possession =
of
Child Pornography, 1 count of Make Available Child Pornography, =
to
appear in provincial court, 36 Wyndham St. South, in Guelph, =
Ontario
on February 5, 2009
- Nathan ENGLER, age 33, of Ottawa, Ontario, 1 count of Possession =
of
Child Pornography, 1 count Distribute Child Pornography, to =
appear in
provincial court, 161 Elgin St., in Ottawa, Ontario, on February =
5,
2009
- Adam RIZEWISKI, age 27, of Ottawa, Ontario, 1 count of Possession =
of
Child Pornography, 1 count of Make Available Child Pornography, 1
count of Possession of Contraband Cigarettes (Tobacco Excise =
Act), to
appear in provincial court, 161 Elgin St., in Ottawa, Ontario, on
February 5, 2009
- A 53-year-old Ottawa man is charged with 2 counts of Possession =
of
Child Pornography, 2 counts of Distribute Child Pornography, 1 =
count
of Making Child Pornography. Name withheld to protect the =
identity of
the victim.
- John David BURNES, age 20, of Kingston, Ontario, 1 count of =
Possession
of Child Pornography, 1 count of Making Available Child =
Pornography,
to appear in provincial court Wellington St., in Kingston, =
Ontario on
February 5, 2009
Backgrounder
PROVINCIAL STRATEGY TO PROTECT CHILDREN
FROM SEXUAL ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION
ON THE INTERNET
- The Provincial Strategy To Protect Children From Sexual Abuse And
Exploitation On The Internet was created in response to the =
McGuinty
government's request that Ontario police develop a coordinated
province-wide approach to combating Internet crimes against =
children.
- The stated goal of the Strategy was for the province to respond =
to
this growing issue as a cohesive, united team, rather than having =
each
municipal police force develop different approaches to deal with =
child
pornography, luring and child sexual abuse on the Internet.
- Police Services in Ontario, through the Ontario Association of =
Chiefs
of Police (OACP) and the OPP, subsequently developed a =
systematic,
victim-driven, all-encompassing approach to the prevention of =
child
sexual abuse and exploitation on the Internet.
- The Provincial Strategy aims to effectively address the "complete
picture" of child sexual abuse and exploitation - from the outset =
of
an investigation, to offender apprehension and management, =
effective
prosecution and sentencing, victim identification and support, as =
well
as prevention and awareness.
- Prior to the Provincial Strategy, there was no mechanism in place =
for
the vital coordination of intelligence, investigative support and
information sharing that is now possible through the Provincial
Strategy.
- The OPP Child Exploitation Section heads and administers the
Provincial Strategy and has formed a Joint Management Team that =
is
made up of senior officers from the OPP, 18 police services, the
Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services and the
Ministry of the Attorney General.
- From August 2006 to February 4, 2009, the Provincial Strategy
completed 4,782 investigations and laid 1,983 charges against 634
persons.
- The 18 police services include: Toronto Police Service, Peel =
Regional
Police, Halton Regional Police Service, Hamilton Police Service,
Niagara Regional Police Service, Brantford Police Service, Guelph
Police Service, Waterloo Regional Police Service, London Police
Service, Windsor Police Service, Barrie Police Service, York =
Regional
Police, Durham Regional Police Service, Kingston Police, Ottawa =
Police
Service, Greater Sudbury Police Service, Sault Ste. Marie Police
Service and Thunder Bay Police Service.
Fact Sheet
Child Pornography and Child Sexual Abuse and
Exploitation on the Internet
What it is:
- Child pornography is the sexual abuse of children - these are =
real
children and this is a real crime against the most vulnerable =
members
of our society.
- Child pornography is a criminal offence that involves victimizing
children through sexual abuse.
What it is not:
- Child pornography is not merely an image-based offence, or an =
offence
against the standards of society, or a censorship issue.
- Child sexual abuse in not "someone else's problem."
Other facts:
- Collections of child sexual abuse images in circulation on the
Internet involve hundreds of thousands of images and hundreds of =
child
rape videos.
- Internet child sexual abuse is an international problem with
international predators and victims, many of which are here in
Ontario.
- The child victims are increasingly younger and the images are =
more
violent, in response to a growing appetite for live streaming of =
child
sexual abuse on the Internet. Ontarians should be concerned =
about
this emerging trend.
- Often mistaken as victimless or merely image-based offences, most
child pornography/luring offences in Ontario involve the actual =
sexual
exploitation, rape and sexual torture of children, including =
infants,
on camera.
- Such cases include images of penetrative sexual activity between
adults and very young children and infants, sexual bondage of
children, bestiality and increasingly "live" web-cam streaming of
real-time abuse of infants and children.
- Those who possess or collect child pornography have a hand in =
child
sexual abuse and are party to the sexual assault.
- Possessors of child pornography have a very high propensity to be
hands-on abusers, and studies from the United States indicate =
that
anywhere from approximately 30 percent to 80 percent of =
collectors of
child sexual abuse images are hands-on abusers.
- Studies also indicate that these abusers have anywhere from 13 to =
30
child victims each.
- Only 1 in 10 adults report sexual assault and sadly, the sexual
assault of children reporting statistics are much less.
- Canadian studies suggest that 19 out of 20 cases of child sexual =
abuse
go undetected.
- When it comes to child pornography and child sexual abuse, =
Ontarians
need to adopt the philosophy that "we cannot afford to be a =
society of
bystanders".
- Knowledge of child pornography and child sexual abuse is =
everyone's
business and responsibility to report.
>>
For further = information: Sergeant Dave Rektor, Community Service Coordinator - Western Region, Phone: (519) 652-4156, Pager: = 1-866-437-5621
| Ontario Provincial Police | =
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