WARNING: This story contains disturbing details involving children. Discretion is advised.
A New Westminster, B.C. man has been charged with multiple child sexual exploitation offences following a lengthy international investigation.
New Westminster police said they received information from the Integrated Child Exploitation Unit of the RCMP in June 2023 after they investigated an upload of child sexual abuse material from an IP address on a public platform.
Investigators traced the activity to a home in New Westminster, police said, and then identified a suspect and executed a search warrant at that person’s home.
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Police said multiple electronic devices were seized for forensic examination and further investigation indicated potential involvement in child sexual exploitation offences involving victims in the Philippines.
Gerard Saunders, who lived in New Westminster at the time, has been arrested and charged with:
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- Possession of child sexual abuse material contrary to section 163.1(4) of the Criminal Code of Canada;
- Making child sexual abuse and exploitation material contrary to section 163.1(2) of the Criminal Code of Canada; and
- Agreeing or making an arrangement with a person to lure a child contrary to section 172.2 of the Criminal Code of Canada.
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Five child victims in the Philippines were identified and rescued, police said, and Philippine authorities also arrested the children’s mother in connection with child sexual exploitation offences.
“The diligence and determination of our detectives ultimately led to the rescue of these children,” stated media relations officer Sgt. Andrew Leaver. “This isn’t a victimless crime, and these are real children behind those screens. This investigation highlights the reality of the far-reaching harm that these offences can cause to children, their families, caregivers, and communities.”
Saunders has been released on an undertaking with extensive conditions and is scheduled to appear in court at a later date.