Guelph Police seeking potential victims in luring investigation

Guelph Police are looking to identify other victims who could have bene in contact with Paul Barnes, a 69-year-old Guelph man, who was arrested in a luring investigation.

The Guelph Police Service wants to speak with victims who have not yet to come forward in an ongoing luring investigation.

Police said they were initially contacted in April by two residents who reported they had been communicating with a man whose phone number was written on a bathroom wall of a south-end business.

One of them told the man he was a 12-year-old and the two arranged to meet for sexual activity, leading to a confrontation at the agreed upon location.

Guelph Police said an undercover officer, posing as a 15-year-old boy, also arranged to meet the suspect.

Paul Barnes, a 69-year-old man from Guelph, was arrested in June and charged with two counts of arranging by telecommunication to commit a sexual offence against a child.

Investigators also believe there may be more victims who have not yet contacted police.

They identified Barnes as the suspect and shared a photo of him on Friday, urging anyone with information to contact the Guelph Police Service at 519-824-1212, ext. 7214.