A four day investigation into Child Sexual Exploitation by several Ontario police services, including the Ontario Provincial Police have resulted in 39 charges against 10 men.
Project Limestone took place between September 12 and 15 and used undercover techniques to access online chat rooms and other social media platforms designed for children.
There police identified, located and arrested the 10 accused who were looking to sexually exploit children.
According to the OPP, in one circumstance, it took approximately an hour and a half from engaging online to the individual arriving at a location to meet with the undercover investigator posing as a child.
Another six were arrested when they showed up to a pre-set location to meet with other investigators who also posed as children online, with another two setting up meetings with other investigators who posed as mothers with young children.
Some of the accused arrived to the meetings with candy, toys and sexual paraphernalia.
All of the men, who range in age from 25 to 67, are from Northeastern or Southern Ontario, with the exception of one, who is from Massachusetts.
In a release the OPP states they and their partner police organizations have seen a significant increase in the number of calls for service.
It adds those who lure children often target a multitude of victims at the same time, noting predators go where children go and stress the need for parents and caregivers to be aware of what children do online.
