Online Extortion investigation leads to arrest

A cyber crime investigation has resulted in a local man being arrested on a number of Internet related charges.

Members of the Thunder Bay Police Service Cyber Crime Unit began an investigation earlier this year after receiving information that a local internet user was suspected of extorting a non-local victim for their nudes.

In June a search was executed in relation to the investigation.

Police found that the accused extorted female victims between the ages of 10 and 16 for the purpose of communicating and exchanging sexually explicit material.

Kayden SOUTHERLAND, 19, of Thunder Bay, is charged with Accessing Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Material, Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Material, Possession of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Material, Extortion x 2, Luring x 3 and Making Sexually Explicit Material Available to a Child.

The accused turned himself in to police on the morning of Thursday, November 13. The accused appeared in court this morning and has been released with conditions and a future appearance date.

Anyone with information that could assist investigators is asked to please contact Detective Constable Joel Manherz at (807) 684-1200 ext. 4115.

Tips can be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, online at www.p3tips.com.

The Thunder Bay Police Service recognizes that parents and caregivers are the frontline when it comes to protecting children on the Internet and electronic devices. We encourage you to remain vigilant in your efforts. Tips for talking to your kids can be found, and reporting of any online exploitation can also be made, at Canada’s National Tipline for Reporting the Online Sexual Exploitation of Children at cybertip.ca.

This project has been made possible by a grant from the Ministry of the Solicitor General.

There are also resources available through the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health for those who have a sexual interest in children. The new Talking for Change (https://talkingforchange.ca/) program is the first of its kind in Canada and provides national and all-ages help for those concerned about their risk to use child sexual exploitation material or offend sexually against a child.