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UPDATED: 13 Suspects Arrested for Child Luring

UPDATED: 13 Suspects Arrested for Child Luring

Edmonton… Thirteen suspects have been arrested for child luring and similar offences following a series of investigations by ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit.

The arrests took place as part of an eight-month proactive initiative by the ICE unit that targeted suspects allegedly trying to arrange for sex with children. A total of 69 charges have been laid, with arrests taking place starting in February and as recently as October 11, 2018.

The arrests took place in Edmonton, St. Albert, Wainwright, Drayton Valley, Fort Saskatchewan, and Barrie, Ont. Three suspects based in the United States were also identified, and ICE has forwarded that information to its law enforcement counterparts south of the border.

None of the investigations are related other than the similar nature of the offences. The alleged crimes took place online, with a range of social media platforms and communications tools being used.

All of the suspects have been charged with at least child luring and/or attempted sexual assault against a child.

The suspects arrested include (number of charges in parentheses):

  1. John Leskosky, a 42-year-old man from Wainwright (3);
  2. Adam Turner, a 24-year-old man from Edmonton (5);
  3. Steve Chaytor, a 51-year-old man from Edmonton (5);
  4. Jonas Karadics, a 32-year-old man from Edmonton (3);
  5. Wilson Misay, a 38-year-old man from Drayton Valley (6);
  6. Jonathan Dahmer, a 31-year-old man from Edmonton (8);
  7. Young offender from Fort Saskatchewan (3);
  8. Timothy Olsen, a 37-year-old man from St. Albert (5);
  9. Ryan Wiggins, a 44-year-old man from Edmonton (3);
  10.  Dean Baker, a 51-year-old man from Edmonton (4);
  11. Taille Marron, a 37-year-old man from Edmonton (16).
  12. Yousef Ammar, a 42-year-old man from Drayton Valley (4); and
  13. Travis Irwin, a 29-year-old man from Barrie, Ont. (4).

The ICE unit based in Edmonton is comprised of investigators from Edmonton Police Service and RCMP, as well as civilian forensic technicians. Nearly 50 computers and electronic devices were seized and analyzed as part of the arrests.

During the investigations and subsequent arrests, ICE worked in collaboration with a number of police agencies, including: Wainwright RCMP; St. Albert RCMP; Drayton Valley RCMP; Fort Saskatchewan RCMP; Edmonton Police Service; Barrie Police Service; and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations.

Anyone with information about this investigation or any child exploitation offence is encouraged to contact local police or cybertip.ca.

ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime. Members of Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, Lethbridge Police Service, Medicine Hat Police Service, and RCMP work in ALERT.

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Since 2022, CISA has been guided by four pillars that focus the effort to promote an integrated, intelligence-led approach to combating organized crime; these are:

  • Building Relationships with Stakeholders;
  • Promote Intel Sharing Across the Province;
  • Being Proactive and Identify Emerging Trends; and
  • Investing in Our People Through Training and Development

 

Criminal Intelligence Service Alberta (CISA) has recently developed an Alberta Firearms Intelligence Centre (AFIC) to equitably expand access to firearms intelligence for all law enforcement agencies within Alberta. AFIC will provide timely, accurate, and actionable intelligence to law enforcement agencies and policy-makers to achieve the shared and collaborative goals of increasing public safety concerning firearm-related crimes.

Protecting Kids Online | Internet Child Exploitation

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

FILE INTAKES

680

872

1,149

1,114

3,815

2,994

2,764

SUSPECTS CHARGED

22

16

34

37

109

81

125

CHARGES LAID

87

45

123

160

415

351

413

CHILDREN RESCUED

26

78

56

43

203

46

100

EXHIBITS SEIZED

335

368

545

476

1,724

1,243

1,845

TOTAL PHOTOS/VIDEOS

262,400

511,133

1,374,310

606,254

2,754,097

2,551,921

13,260,819

Stopping Human Trafficking | HUMAN TRAFFICKING & COUNTER EXPLOITATION

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

SUSPECTS CHARGED

13

10

7

4

34

30

76

CHARGES LAID

79

46

87

19

231

96

157

VICTIM INTERVENTIONS

30

29

17

37

113

28

22

Intelligence & Expertise | CISA / Training

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

INTELLIGENCE REPORTS

409

296

327

442

1,474

1,560

1,318

TRAINING COURSES

5

3

8

11

27

36

25

CANDIDATES TRAINED

321

56

135

350

862

933

638

Disrupt & Dismantle Organized Crime | Combined Special Forces Enforcement

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

SUSPECTS CHARGED

40

27

42

32

141

197

168

CHARGES LAID

176

156

237

231

800

1,088

820

FIREARMS SEIZED

105

53

26

48

232

102

126

EST. VALUE OF DRUGS SEIZED

$906,814

$553,851

$2,725,161

$1,148,337

$5,334,163

$10,898,269

$334,093,020

PROCEEDS OF CRIME SEIZED

$218,133

$52,970

$130,996

$230,195

$632,294

$1,432,847

$21,740,617

ANNUAL Regional ResultS

ARRESTS

CHARGES

FIREARMS

DRUGS

PROCEEDS

CALGARY

24

110

14

$937,422

$65,881

EDMONTON

17

131

45

$592,839

$272,446

FORT MCMURRAY

8

78

4

$352,942

$144,301

GRANDE PRAIRIE

7

17

13

$192,145

$31,855

LETHBRIDGE

7

29

44

$349,773

$51,245

LLOYDMINSTER

24

93

41

$164,134

$12,504

MEDICINE HAT

37

179

13

$293,108

$7,861

RED DEER

17

163

58

$2,451,800

$46,201

TOTALS

141

800

232

$5,334,163

$632,294

Organized Property Crimes | Auto Crimes

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

SUSPECTS CHARGED

1

1

2

1

10

CHARGES LAID

11

47

STOLEN VEHICLES

23

15

1

6

45

245

118

RECOVERED ASSETS

$1,432,000

$941,025

$108,000

$260,000

$2,741025

$8,420,500

$3,919,500

Firearms investigations | Firearms lab & Gang suPpression teams

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

FIREARMS EXAMINATIONS

349

351

243

235

1,178

EXHIBIT EXAMINATIONS

1,316

1,409

891

1,099

4,715

SERIAL NUMBER RESTORATIONS

31

34

19

24

108

IBIS SUBMISSIONS

343

421

1,334

304

2,402

GUN SEIZURES

1

14

15

SUSPECTS CHARGED

4

22

26

CHARGES LAID

41

144

185

Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) involves images and/or videos that depict the sexual abuse of minors – the majority of which involve prepubescent children. Often, CSAM involves explicit and/or extreme sexual assaults against the child victim (Cybertip.ca).

Learn more about Internet Child Exploitation and ALERT’s integrated teams combatting this issue.

Ghost Guns are illegal, privately manufactured firearms or lower receivers. These weapons are often made with 3D-printers, and undermine public safety due to their lack of licensing requirements, serialization and safety controls.

Learn more about Ghost Guns on ALERT’s dedicated Privately Manufactured Firearms info page