Men from Cambridge, Kitchener and Stratford arrested as part of province-wide child sexual exploitation initiative

Handcuffs on a computer keyboard can be seen in this file photo.

Thirty-three people are facing a combined 136 charges as part of a province-wide child sexual exploitation initiative called “Project Series.”

In a news release on Thursday, the Ontario Provincial Police said 23 police services in Ontario took part in the project between Feb. 9 and Feb. 13. Officers used online chartrooms and social media platforms to identify, find and arrest people who they believe were trying to sexually exploit children.

All of the people arrested as part of the initiative were men between the ages of 16 and 67. Two repeat offenders were arrested and six young victims were given support.

In one case, a man arrived at a meeting location with personal lubricant and other items meant to facilitate offences against a child.

Thirty-six investigations are ongoing.

Local charges

All told, four men from Cambridge, two from Kitchener and one from Stratford were arrested as part of Project Series.

A 43-year-old man from Cambridge was charged with luring a person under the age of 16, making child sexual abuse and exploitation material and criminal harassment.

A 50-year-old Cambridge man, previously identified as a vice-principal at St. Anne Catholic Elementary School in Kitchener, was charged with invitation to sexual touching, luring a person under the age of 16, making sexually explicit material available to a child, possession of child sexual abuse and exploitation material, making child sexual abuse and exploitation material and making child sexual abuse and exploitation material available.

A 52-year-old Cambridge man was charged with luring a person under the age of 16, agreement or arrangement to commit a sexual offence against a child and making child sexual abuse and exploitation material.

A 40-year-old Cambridge man was charged with two counts of possession of child sexual abuse and exploitation material and two counts of making child sexual abuse and exploitation material available.

A 40-year-old Kitchener man has been charged with three counts of possession of child sexual abuse and exploitation material, making child sexual abuse and exploitation material, three counts of making available child sexual abuse and exploitation material and accessing child sexual abuse and exploitation material.

A 34-year-old Kitchener man was charged with accessing child sexual abuse and exploitation material.

A 27-year-old Stratford man was charged with three counts of luring a child person under the age of 16 and three counts of agreement or arrangement to commit a sexual offence against a child.

Charges regarding child sexual abuse and exploitation material formerly used the term “child pornography.”