(via Ottawa Police)
In late May of 2016 and early June of 2016, the National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre (NCECC) forwarded the Ottawa Police Service Internet Child Exploitation Unit (ICE) two reports they had received from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipLine.
These reports indicated that IP addresses in the Ottawa area were uploading images and video of child sexual abuse via the Internet using a private web based chat room known as “ChatStep”. An additional report was received in early October 2016 from Interpol Manchester advising of another IP address based in the Ottawa area engaging in chats about abusing children using Skype.
Subsequent warrants were obtained by the ICE Unit and served on the Internet Service Provider, all revealing the same location.
A search warrant was executed today in the Stittsville area of the City of Ottawa. Computers, a cellular device and external digital media were seized and are being forensically analysed.
A 63-year-old man has been charged with three counts of Possession of Child Pornography, two counts of Distribution of Child Pornography, and two counts of Make Available Child Pornography.
He is scheduled to appear in court for a bail hearing on Saturday, October 15, 2016.
The Ottawa Police Service is a member of the Provincial Strategy to protect children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet. This Project has been made possible by a grant from the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.