Barrie men among 33 arrested in province-wide child exploitation initiative

OPP is sharing results from a five-day operation with 136 criminal charges laid in February.

Warning: The details in this article may be disturbing and triggering to some.

Two Barrie, Ont., men are among 33 people arrested following a coordinated child sexual exploitation investigation that resulted in 136 criminal offences across the province, according to police.

The initiative, dubbed ‘Project Series,’ was conducted between Feb. 9 and 13 as part of a provincial strategy to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation.

A total of 23 police services, including Barrie Police and York Regional Police, worked with the OPP Child Sexual Exploitation Unit to conduct proactive online investigations targeting suspects who allegedly attempted to exploit children.

Among those charged is a Barrie man, 37, facing allegations related to luring a person under the age of 16, making child sexual abuse and exploitation material, and other provincial offences.

Another Barrie man, 44, is facing two charges related to an agreement or arrangement for a sexual offence against a child.

Police said all of the accused ranged in age from 16 to 67, and all were men.

“A child’s safety should never end at the screen. Just as we protect them in our homes, schools and communities, we must also protect the digital spaces where children spend so much of their lives,” said OPP Det. Staff Sergeant Tara Clark, Provincial Internet Child Exploitation Strategy Lead.

During the initiative, police stated that two repeat offenders were identified, and six young victims were found and provided with support services and safe spaces.

Authorities also confirmed that one of the accused in the probe arrived at a planned meeting location with items allegedly intended to “facilitate offences” like personal lubricants and other materials for the child.

Authorities emphasized that many of these investigations began online before escalating in-person.

Officers are urging anyone with information related to child sexual exploitation to contact their local police service or report it through Cybertip.ca.

Police state that a total of 36 investigations in ‘Project Series’ remain ongoing.