A 41-year-old Sault Ste. Marie man has been charged with child pornography offences after police say he pretended to be a teacher and lured a young person using a social media app.
Members of the Sault Police Technological Crime Unit, with assistance from the Ontario Provincial Police, say the suspect threatened the victim from Clearview Township into sending intimate images of themselves online.
On March 21, police say the OPP received a report of a child being lured by an adult via a social media app. An investigation revealed the suspect, who lives in Sault Ste. Marie, pretended to be a teacher in their twenties living in the Wasaga Beach area.
Franco Pileggi is charged with:
- Possession of child pornography
- Accessing of child pornography
- Luring a child for the purpose of child pornography
- Uttering threats
The accused was held in custody pending a bail hearing.
None of the allegations have been tested in court and Pileggi is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The Sault Ste. Marie Police Service's Technological Crime Unit is a member of the Ontario Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet, which consists of 27 partnering municipal agencies working collaboratively to rescue victims and combat child exploitation. The strategy is made possible by a grant from the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.