Ontario-Wide Child Porn Probe Leads To 60 People Facing Charges: OPP

VAUGHAN, Ont. - Sixty people are facing close to 250 charges following an Ontario-wide police investigation into Internet child exploitation.

Provincial police say a total of 99 search warrants have been executed, resulting in 249 charges against 60 people from communities throughout the province, including three youths who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Charges include sexual assault, possession of child pornography, making child pornography available, and making, accessing and distributing child pornography.

Police say quantities of drugs and prohibited weapons were seized in raids and 14 child victims were identified during the investigation.

Those charged range in age from teenagers to 63 years old.

At a news conference announcing the charges, OPP Chief Supt. Don Bell said the creation and distribution of images of child sexual abuse, the luring of young people by predators, and the proliferation of Internet sites continue to be major concerns to police worldwide.