Latest news with #ProjectSteel
CTV News
14-05-2025
- CTV News
Middleton man facing child pornography charges after N.S. RCMP search home
An RCMP vehicle is seen in this file photo. (CTV News Regina) A 32-year-old Middleton, N.S., man is facing child pornography charges after police searched his home as part of a nationwide investigation into online child sexual exploitation in February. The RCMP's Provincial Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit executed a search warrant at the home on Main Street on February 27. Police say they seized several electronic devices, including smartphones, computers and a hard drive. 'On May 1, after a forensic examination and analysis of the seized devices, the RCMP ICE Unit, with assistance from the RCMP Interview Assistance Team, safely arrested Devin Doucette,' reads a news release from the RCMP. Doucette has been charged with possession of child pornography and failure to comply with prohibition order. Doucette appeared in Digby provincial court on May 1 and was released by the court on conditions. He is scheduled to return to court on June 9. Project Steel 'This investigation was part of Project Steel, a collaborative effort by law enforcement partners across Canada to target online child sexual exploitation offenders,' reads the release. Sixty-three police forces across Canada conducted Project Steel between Feb. 17 and 28. According to a national RCMP news release on March 5, police seized 1,132 electronic devices, arrested 106 people, and safeguarded 37 children in connection with the operation. At least a dozen people from the Maritimes have now been arrested and are facing charges related to the Project Steel investigation. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Yahoo
5 men from Manitoba among more than 100 arrested in national online child sexual exploitation bust
At least five men in Manitoba have been arrested as part of a major online child sexual exploitation operation that led to 106 arrests across Canada. The recent sweep, dubbed Project Steel, brought together 63 law enforcement partners from different Canadian jurisdictions between Feb. 17 and 28. Dozens of victims were identified and 37 children were safeguarded from harm, RCMP Insp. Matthieu Girard told reporters at a news conference earlier this week. Three men in Winnipeg were arrested as part of Project Steel, a police spokesperson told CBC News on Friday. A search at a home on the 100 block of Furby Street, south of Broadway, led to the seizure of 50 electronic devices and the first arrest on Feb. 19, Winnipeg police said. A 67-year-old man was arrested and charged with possessing, accessing and making child pornography. A second search warrant was executed at a home on the 300 block of Scotia Street, in the Seven Oaks neighbourhood, which led to the seizure of 10 electronics and the arrest of a 28-year-old man on Feb. 28. He has since been charged with possessing and accessing child pornography. A third man, in his 30s, was arrested on Feb. 26 after officers searched a residence in the city's downtown. Arrests were also made in Brandon as part of Project Steel, where police executed five search warrants and discovered evidence of possession of child pornography and its distribution, import or sale, according to a Brandon police news release earlier this week. An 18-year-old man and a 20-year-old man were charged, while two other investigations continue, police said. A spokesperson for the Manitoba RCMP said the force has numerous investigations ongoing, but RCMP have not yet made any arrests here in connection with Project Steel. Lianna McDonald , the executive director of the Winnipeg-based Canadian Centre for Child Protection, told CBC News in a statement the nationwide investigation is critical policing work, but the bust speaks to a larger issue, as the majority of the arrests happened after online services reported suspected illegal content to the authorities. "The problem is that currently, content moderation or any other safety requirements are entirely voluntary. Not all online services do it, and some have even announced a scaling down in doing so," McDonald's statement said. "This is, yet again, another example of why Canada needs its own online safety laws."
CBC
08-03-2025
- CBC
5 men from Manitoba among more than 100 arrested in national online child sexual exploitation bust
Social Sharing At least five men in Manitoba have been arrested as part of a major online child sexual exploitation operation that led to 106 arrests across Canada. The recent sweep, dubbed Project Steel, brought together 63 law enforcement partners from different Canadian jurisdictions between Feb. 17 and 28. Dozens of victims were identified and 37 children were safeguarded from harm, RCMP Insp. Matthieu Girard told reporters at a news conference earlier this week. Three men in Winnipeg were arrested as part of Project Steel, a police spokesperson told CBC News on Friday. A search at a home on the 100 block of Furby Street, south of Broadway, led to the seizure of 50 electronic devices and the first arrest on Feb. 19, Winnipeg police said. A 67-year-old man was arrested and charged with possessing, accessing and making child pornography. A second search warrant was executed at a home on the 300 block of Scotia Street, in the Seven Oaks neighbourhood, which led to the seizure of 10 electronics and the arrest of a 28-year-old man on Feb. 28. He has since been charged with possessing and accessing child pornography. A third man, in his 30s, was arrested on Feb. 26 after officers searched a residence in the city's downtown. Arrests were also made in Brandon as part of Project Steel, where police executed five search warrants and discovered evidence of possession of child pornography and its distribution, import or sale, according to a Brandon police news release earlier this week. An 18-year-old man and a 20-year-old man were charged, while two other investigations continue, police said. A spokesperson for the Manitoba RCMP said the force has numerous investigations ongoing, but RCMP have not yet made any arrests here in connection with Project Steel. Lianna McDonald , the executive director of the Winnipeg-based Canadian Centre for Child Protection, told CBC News in a statement the nationwide investigation is critical policing work, but the bust speaks to a larger issue, as the majority of the arrests happened after online services reported suspected illegal content to the authorities. "The problem is that currently, content moderation or any other safety requirements are entirely voluntary. Not all online services do it, and some have even announced a scaling down in doing so," McDonald's statement said.
CBC
05-03-2025
- CBC
More than 100 arrested in Canada-wide child exploitation operation, police say
Police say they have made more than 100 arrests and laid more than 300 charges in a major national child exploitation operation. Representatives of the RCMP and other police forces provided an update Wednesday on a project aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse. RCMP Insp. Matthieu Girard told a news conference the recent sweep, known as Project Steel, led to the identification of dozens of victims and 37 children being safeguarded from harm. A total of 1,132 electronic devices were seized, and charges laid so far include possession, distribution and accessing child pornography. Girard said the numbers are preliminary and there are hundreds of ongoing investigations.
