

The Canadian Press





Eight people from Ontario and British Columbia are facing charges following an investigation into the sexual exploitation of children.

Police say officers went undercover in online chatrooms and on social media applications to identify, locate and arrest people seeking to sexually exploit children in Peterborough, Ont.

Over the course of the three-day investigation, police say they communicated with 36 people, presenting themselves as children under the age of consent.

Investigators say they identified and charged eight suspects who allegedly committed criminal offences.

They say six of the suspects were arrested after arriving at a location to meet a child for a sexual purpose.

One suspect was a repeat offender who had just completed a 10-year term on the Ontario Sex Offender Registry.

The suspects, who range from 21 to 55 years old, face a total of 36 charges.

Seven are from Ontario and one is from Abbotsford, B.C.

Ontario Provincial Police Insp. Tina Chalk says the OPP worked with Peterborough police and others to identify and find the suspects.

“There are no borders or jurisdictions in our fight against child exploitation,” she said in a statement.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Dec. 31, 2019.

OPP have also released a video describing their investigation: