Four People Arrested for Child Luring After Police Conduct Project Derby

Wednesday, 24 February 2021 at 11:08

In 3 days with Project Derby, police found 36 people who were willing to engage in sexual conversations with minors. During the pandemic complaints about online sexual exploitation of children are up 88%.

KITCHENER/CAMBRIDGE - The OPP and Waterloo Regional Police teamed up recently to take down internet predators in our community.

OPP Detective Sergeant Brian McDermott says the investigation involved 6 officers over 3 days.

"Our officers communicated online with 36 individuals, where the individuals were aware the person they were talking with was under age. While these conversations did include inappropriate sexual conduct, some did not progress to the threshold of committing a criminal offence. 4 offenders were identified during the investigation, 3 of the individuals were arrested when they arrived at a set location to meet a child for a sexual purpose."

Detective Sergeant McDermott says as kids are spending more time online during the pandemic, so to are the predators, attempting to exploit them. Cybertip.ca is reporting that there has been an 88 percent increase in reports about online sexual exploitation of children. Offenders often target and lure multiple victims at the same time.

The following people were charged in the sting.

46 year old Jason John MacLaughlin of Kitchener has been charged with invitation to sexual touching, making child pornography, 2 counts of luring a person under 16 and 2 counts of uttering threats.

30 year old Jonathan Charles Upsdell of Cambridge has been charged with luring a person under 16.

48 year old Christopher M. Funston of Kitchener has been charged with luring a person under 16, making explicit material available to a child and agreeing or making arrangements to commit a sexual offence against a child.

50 year old Roger Yvan Bellaire of Kitchener has been charged with 2 counts of luring a person under 16.

Police called this project Derby and promise they will be doing it again.

The OPP, WRPS and Ontario's Provincial Strategy to Protect Children police partners have noted a significant increase in the number of calls for service relating to child sexual exploitation, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to require persons spend more time online.

If you have information related to child sexual exploitation contact your local police or report to cybertip.ca.

Child Sexual Exploitation Investigation https://t.co/crSsCpGVKy

— Ontario Provincial Police (@OPP_News) February 24, 2021 " target="_blank">