An adult has been sentenced to three years in jail for child luring, extortion and possession of child pornography following an RCMP investigation.
Police are not releasing any information about the accused, including the date of their conviction or the jurisdiction the crimes were committed in, to protect the identities of the victims and witnesses.
The conviction came following a 2015 investigation by the Northwest Territories RCMP Major Crimes Unit into reports of child pornography and exploitation in the territory.
According to the RCMP, the investigation revealed that multiple victims across the NWT were coerced into providing naked photographs through social media.
The accused was arrested and later plead guilty to all three charges.
“This was a case that had multiple victims and jurisdictions, and it is equally important the public is aware that these types of offences can take part in any part of Canada, including the Northwest Territories,” said RCMP spokesperson Marie York-Condon.
“We want any potential victims to know that if they believe they are being exploited, they can come forward and we can investigate the file thoroughly.”
In an interview with Moose FM in February, RCMP Sgt. Bruce McGregor said that the North had seen a ‘steady increase’ in the distribution of child pornography over the past five years.
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Funding was recently announced for the creation of a three-person Internet Child Exploitation Unit (ICE) in Yellowknife, dedicated to investigating these types of cases.
Parents and caregivers are reminded about the importance of teaching internet safety to children and youth.
