Northwest Territories RCMP advise public of conviction of child pornography related charge

June 5, 2018
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

News release

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NT RCMP are advising the public of successful charge and conviction of charge related to Internet Child Exploitation and wish to educate the public on the crime.

In January 2017 Northwest Territories RCMP began an investigation into a report of child luring. The investigation revealed a youth from a remote northern community was identified as a victim. Charges related to child luring were laid against an adult.

On May 30, 2018, the adult was convicted in Territorial Court of Luring a Child by Means of Telecommunication S. 172.1 Criminal Code and was sentenced to 9 months in jail.

A publication ban is in effect, under s.486.4 of the Criminal Code, the name of the victim and witnesses or any information leading to the identification of the victim or witnesses cannot be published or broadcast or transmitted in any way.

The RCMP is not releasing the name of the accused, or the jurisdiction in which the crimes were committed to protect the identity of the victim and cautions anyone who would do so they may contravene the publication ban.

"Protecting the victim is the primary focus at this stage. What's important to take away from this case, is that we have the ability to investigate this type of file thoroughly, bring it to the court process, and gain a conviction, thereby punishing those who have preyed upon the young in the Northwest Territories" states Marie York-Condon, Northwest Territories RCMP Media Relations.

"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," she continues.

RCMP would like to remind parents and caregivers of the importance of teaching internet safety for children and youth.

Using the Internet to entice youth (anyone under the age of 18) to meet for sexual acts or to help arrange sexual encounters is a crime under the Criminal Code of Canada.

An adult communicating with your child in a sexual manner needs to be reported to police. Remind children that the people they talk to on social media and the Internet aren't always who they say they are. Teach children to alert you and report to police anyone who talks to them sexually, who sends your child nude images/videos, asks your child to send sexual images/videos of themselves and or asks them to meet offline in person.

Speaking to children about Internet Child Exploitation is important and should be started at a young age as soon as they begin using computers, smart phones and the Internet. Create a family media agreement for discussing safe practices for online behaviour. There are many useful age appropriate resources online to help safe guard children from being exploited.

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Contact information

Marie York-Condon
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Media Relations
Northwest Territories RCMP – Yellowknife, NT
Office: (867)765.3709
RCMP.NTMedia-NTMedias.GRC@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

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