More than 100 arrested for child exploitation in Canada

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) - More than 100 residents in Canada face 428 charges related to child exploitation as a result of an investigation called "Project Maverick," police reported Wednesday.

All 107 suspects reside in the province of Ontario and the investigation took place in October.

In all, 121 children were identified, with 60 being "safeguarded" and the rest referred to community organizations for assistance.

The numbers of children and suspects identified appalled police.

“These numbers are shocking, but they provide hope by showing the lengths our teams are willing to go to protect children,” said Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Chief Supt. Kari Dart.

During October, 22 police agencies and the provincial attorney general and solicitor general departments were involved in Project Maverick.

They conducted 259 investigations, executed 168 search warrants, and seized 1,032 devices. Another 175 investigations are ongoing.

Charges include making child pornography available, possession of and distributing child pornography, and accessing child pornography, OPP said in a video release.

The residents were from all over the province of Ontario and lived in small town and large cities like Toronto and Hamilton, police said.

Police said "Project Maverick" painted a picture of the work being done by investigators and analysts who are part of the Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet.

"I would like to express gratitude for the hard work of the provincial strategy members and our partners in keeping children in this province safe and holding those who want to harm them accountable," Dart said.