The New Brunswick RCMP's Internet Child Exploitation Unit is asking citizens to share pictures on their social media networks of a suspect sought in an ongoing investigation into child sexual abuse and production of child pornography.

The pictures are captured from a video in which a man is abusing a girl who appears to be about three years old, said Cpl. Chantal Farrah.

"We're not sure if the man or the girl are from New Brunswick, but we do know that New Brunswickers have a vast array of connections via social media around the world," Farrah said in a video statement posted on YouTube.

The abuse video first appeared on the internet in 2005, which means the girl is likely between 10 and 12 years old now, said Farrah.

It came to the attention of the New Brunswick RCMP during an unrelated investigation, she said.

Police believe the video was produced somewhere in North America.

The man is described as Caucasian, approximately 180 to 200 pounds, with brown hair. He has a distinctive dark circular mark on his right forearm and a ring on his left hand.

"We're asking people to distribute the images of this man via their social media networks and encourage their friends to share it in the hope that someone will know who he is and contact police," said Farrah.