Four local residents facing charges in child exploitation investigation
Provincial police say statistics from a single month's worth of child exploitation investigations show the issue remains a major problem in Ontario and beyond.
As part of a bid to raise awareness of child exploitation, the Ontario Provincial Police released figures from the month of November.
During that 30 day stretch, the OPP and its 26 regional partners across Ontario laid 551 charges against 122 people while identifying 55 alleged child victims and referring them for help.
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Investigators say those arrested include past and present teachers, emergency services personnel, military members and others active in local communities.
They say officers identified 834 unique IP addresses accessing child pornography during November alone, describing that figure as “the tip of the iceberg.''
Investigators say anyone who accesses child pornography online is complicit in the abuse and constant revictimization of children, some of whom were as young as three years old.
Four residents of Waterloo Region have been arrested:
- Pedro Weiler, 24, from Waterloo, is facing charges including possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography
- Name not released, 29, from Waterloo, faces charges including making child pornography and sexual assault
- Eric T. Parsons, 30, from Kitchener, is charged with possession of child pornography and invitation to sexual touching
- Nathan Morris, 45, from Conestogo, faces charges including possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography
with files from KitchenerToday
