Fort Erie man charged in online child luring investigation

Brent Jones
December 31, 2024 at 7:00 PM

Detectives from the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit have charged a Fort Erie man following an undercover investigation into the online luring of minors.

Police allege that, beginning in January 2024, the suspect communicated online with an undercover officer posing as a person under the age of 16.

According to investigators, the suspect’s communications were for a sexual purpose.

On Tuesday, detectives arrested a 52-year-old man from Fort Erie. He has been charged under the Criminal Code of Canada with exposure to a person under 16 years of age and luring a child via telecommunication to facilitate sexual interference.

The suspect remains in custody and is scheduled for a bail hearing on Wednesday at the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse in St. Catharines.

Detectives believe the suspect used the online aliases “Niagara420,” “Niagara guy,” and “James” to commit offences involving other children. They are urging anyone with information about these usernames or related activities to come forward.

“Online platforms that allow users to engage with minors or share and store child sexual abuse material are prevalent on the internet,” police said in a statement, encouraging parents and guardians to remain vigilant about their children’s online activity.

“Offenders who attempt to lure children behind anonymous accounts on different platforms can be identified and will be held accountable for their actions,” the statement continued.

Anyone with information about this case can contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara anonymously. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for tips leading to arrests.