A Toronto man is facing dozens of charges after police allege he used fake online identities to lure and exploit children across multiple Canadian provinces and several countries.
The investigation began in March after the Toronto police Internet Child Exploitation Unit received a report that child sexual abuse and exploitation material had been uploaded to a social media platform, a news release said.
On April 16, investigators executed a search warrant at a home near Broadview Avenue and Danforth Avenue in Toronto, where they seized electronic devices.
A forensic examination uncovered child sexual abuse and exploitation material, including evidence that multiple online personas were used to communicate with children on social media and gaming platforms, police said.
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Metin Ugur, 57, of Toronto, was initially charged with seven offences, including accessing, possessing and making available child sexual abuse and exploitation material, as well as luring a person under 18.
Police later identified 13 additional victims, resulting in 61 more charges, the news release said.
The alleged victims are believed to live in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, as well as the United States, Australia, Scotland and England.
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The accused is alleged to have posed as both male and female personas on platforms including Snapchat, Discord, Instagram, TikTok and Fortnite.
Ugur is said to have been using multiple usernames including:
- Hey_woolfie
- Chase_woolf
- Chase_woolf13
- Noah.scout
- Noah_scout_13
“Internet child exploitation has no borders, and neither do our investigations,” Det. Sgt. Alicia Murray of the Toronto Police Service’s Internet Child Exploitation Unit said in the news release.
Police are urging parents to “remain vigilant” when it comes to protecting children on the internet and electronic devices.
Investigators believe there may be additional victims who have not yet come forward and are asking anyone with information to contact authorities.