A 42-year-old man from Sault Ste. Marie has been charged after allegedly having an inappropriate online relationship with two individuals, aged 12 and 13 years old, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say.
On Jan. 31, at around 1:36 p.m., police made an arrest following an investigation into online child sexual exploitation. The investigation began after police received complaints about the accused.
This arrest is also involved with the search warrant police executed at a residence on Rossmore Road in December.
As a result of the investigation, Franco Pileggi was arrested and charged for:
- Luring a person under 16 years old by means of telecommunication - eight counts
- Make sexually explicit material available to a person under 16 years old - eight counts
- Invitation to sexual touching under 16 years old - two counts
- Extortion - two counts
- Access child pornography - two counts
- Possess child pornography
Pileggi was held for a bail hearing and remained in custody.
The OPP had assistance in this investigation from the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service Technological Crime Unit, the OPP North East Region Emergency Response Team and the OPP Child Sexual Exploitation Unit.
Police encourage parents and caregivers to speak to children about online safety and to monitor their activity.
"Child predators use online chat rooms and social media applications to gain access to children, as these platforms are used by millions of children every day," OPP said in a press release.
They advised that if you believe a child is in danger, call 911, and if you information regarding child sexual exploitation, call your local police. The OPP offer a 24 hour non-emergency number at 1-888-310-1122.
For more information and resources, visit the Canadian Centre for Child Protection.
None of the charges have been proven in court and the accused is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.