(ORILLIA, ON) - Members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Child Sexual Exploitation Unit executed five unrelated search warrants between September 11 and 13, 2018 in various areas of the province. These warrants were carried out jointly with the OPP Digital Forensics Unit, Wellington County OPP, Huron County OPP and Collingwood OPP detachments.
As a result of the search warrants, four individuals were charged with a total of 18 criminal charges being laid.
The exploitation of children on the internet remains a growing concern for the OPP and the public is reminded that, "Every photograph is sexual abuse of a real child. It is not just a photo. Every time that photo is seen on the internet, the child is victimized again." -Inspector Tina Chalk, Manager, Counter Exploitation and Missing Persons Section
A summary of the investigations, involved persons and charges laid are as follows:
On September 11, 2018, police executed a search warrant at a residence in the Town of Elora. As a result of the investigation, Joseph James DOWNEY, 43 years-of-age of Elora was charged with two counts of Making Available and three counts of Possession of Child Pornography. The accused was remanded into custody at a bail hearing and will appear next on September 21, 2018, at the Ontario Court of Justice in Guelph.
On September 12, 2018, police executed a search warrant at a residence in the Town of Exeter. As a result of the investigation, Philip CORBOY, 61 years of age from Exeter was charged with one count of Making Available and two counts of Possession of Pornography. The accused was released at a bail hearing and will appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Goderich on September 24, 2018.
On September 12, 2018, police arrested and charged a 17 year old male youth from Clinton, Ontario with four counts of luring a person under 16 years of age, one count of sending sexually explicit material to a person under 16 years of age, one count of indecent exposure to a person under 16 years of age and one count of failing to comply with a youth court sentence or disposition. In addition, a search warrant was executed at a residence in Town of Clinton in relation to this investigation. The young person was released at a bail hearing and will appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Goderich next on October 15, 2018.
On September 13, 2018 police executed a search warrant at a residence in the Town of Collingwood. As a result of this investigation, police arrested and charged Michael James COLE, 25-years-old, of Collingwood with one count of Making Available and two counts of Possession of Child Pornography. The accused was released at a bail hearing and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Collingwood on October 16, 2018.
A fifth search warrant was executed on September 11, 2018, however the investigation into this matter is ongoing and details will be updated if charges are laid in relation to the matter.
The OPP will continue to work tirelessly to fight against the sexual abuse of children.
Any member of the public wishing to report instances of child sexual abuse on the internet is encouraged to do so by calling your local police service, the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or by navigating to the Canadian Centre for Child Protection website to report it through cybertip.ca.
The investigation is continuing.