A Vancouver Island teen is facing dozens of criminal charges related to child pornography, luring and extortion involving 15 young girls.
Investigators in Central Saanich allege Seamus Weeks, 19, has victims throughout Greater Victoria and as far away as the United States.
Police say all of the teen girls involved came forward with allegations Weeks was sending them inappropriate online messages.
“We have victims throughout the CRD. Also out of Kamloops and one or two in the U.S.,” said Central Saanich Police spokesman Cpl. Dan Cottingham. “The communications, from what I understand, were all online. There was no personal contact.”
The alleged offences all took place between November 2015 and June 2016.
Weeks now faces 29 charges including luring a child via computer, possession of child porn, accessing child porn, invitation to sexual touching, extortion and making child pornography.
He’s been released from custody on bail with extensive conditions including no contact with alleged victims, no cellphone or device that can access the internet, and no contact with anyone under the age of 18.
Weeks must also remain in B.C. and cannot go to schools, colleges, universities, public parks or recreation centres.
One of the alleged victims has identified herself to CTV News, saying she has been contacted online by someone police believe was Weeks.
“Answer me and do not tell anyone that i have messaged you or i will put a photo shopped photo of you onto tumblr google as well as instagram,” a message sent to her reads.
“Why would you do that,” she asks.
“Reply to this with a recording of your voice moaning or a pic of your pretty face and cleavage other wise you are posted,” the person replies. “Awnser [sic] me. Your face and tits will be on tumblr google instagram and facebook. Awnser me before I post you.”
“Awnser me now. Awsner me slut,” the person writes after getting no response.
An online safety expert who has talked to more than 200,000 kids about the dangers of social media says it may be a classic case of capping – or catfishing.
“We’re seeing increasing events of this taking place just because technology is becoming more and more available to everybody and anybody,” said Darren Laur. “Individuals will pretend to be somebody in order to gain the confidence of a youth or even an adult for the purposes of building a relationship, in the end, to hopefully get nude pictures of them.”
Once the catfisher gets nude pictures, they often then use them to extort their victims, according to Laur.
Sources tell CTV News that Weeks graduated from Stelly’s Secondary School in Central Saanich.
Police say they’ve received more allegations since opening up the investigation – and are encouraging any other potential victims to come forward.
None of the allegations against Weeks have been proven in court.
