More than a dozen people have been charged, including three in Toronto, in connection with a provincewide child sexual exploitation investigation. The investigation, dubbed Project Brace, led to the arrest of 17 people who face a combined 55 charges, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) confirmed in a news release issued Monday. Fifteen police services, including the Toronto Police Service, participated in the probe. According to the OPP, investigators conducted online child exploitation investigations “to identify and apprehend those who prey on children.” “Investigators targeted individuals making, possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material,” the news release read. “While this investigation did not directly identify any victims, investigators initiated 23 cases that remain active.” The OPP said police services have noted a “significant rise” in reports involving online child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse material in recent years. “Online offenders are increasingly leveraging digital technologies to access and exploit children and youth,” OPP Det. Staff Sgt. Tara Clark said in a written statement. “Through social media, gaming platforms, messaging applications, and peer-to-peer networks, they use deceptive tactics to groom victims, distribute child sexual abuse material, and evade detection.”
