Project Maverick: Toronto Police Arrest 23 People, Lay 96 Charges Following Investigation Into Online Child Exploitation

At Toronto Police Headquarters, Staff Superintendent Paul MacIntyre was joined by Detective Sergeant Barb Adam of the Sex Crimes, Internet Child Exploitation (I.C.E.) section, to announce the local results of Project Maverick.

The month-long project was part of the Provincial Strategy to Protect Children From Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet (Provincial Strategy), a province-wide collaboration between 27 police services, government and community agencies.

Throughout the month of October, members of the Toronto Police I.C.E. section provided the following local results as part of Project Maverick:

• Conducted 24 search warrants in 20 days
• Arrested 23 people
• Laid 96 criminal charges
• Seized 131 devices containing images of child sexual abuse and exploitation
• Identified 22 victims
• Safeguarded 10 children

In one instance, members of TPS, with the assistance of international partners, identified a person of interest on the dark web who was planning on kidnapping and abusing young children. TPS and OPP members investigated the accused’s location and traveled to a remote Northern Ontario town to execute search warrants and make an arrest.

Please find the local charge list below.

These charges are in addition to hundreds of charges laid across the province as part of the larger project. The OPP released the details on their website and shared a video on social media, highlighting Project Maverick and the important work of the Provincial Strategy. 

“I would like to acknowledge our dedicated investigators, analysts and digital forensic technicians, who work tirelessly to hold those who are sexually exploiting children accountable,” said Staff Superintendent Paul MacIntyre. “But they can’t accomplish this extremely difficult work alone – online sexual offences have no borders and go well beyond our jurisdiction.”

He added, “The Internet and rapid growth in technology have given predators the opportunity to exploit children anywhere in the world. Through the Provincial Strategy, we are working together with our law enforcement, government and community agency partners to do everything we can to ensure children are kept safe online.”

If you come across any child sexual abuse material on the internet, please submit a report on Cybertip.ca – this website is operated by our colleagues at the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. You can also report anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com, or call 9-1-1 in an emergency.

There are resources available for anyone who uses child sexual abuse material online or is at risk of offending sexually against a child. The Canadian Centre Addiction & Mental Health (CAMH) provides more information through The Talking for Change program. It is the first program of its kind in Canada for adults concerned about their risk to children.

Charge List:

Onur Ozbek, 30, of Toronto:

1.  Accessing Child Pornography
2.  Possession of Child Pornography x2      

Onur Ozbek was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Brendan Eckstrom, 40, of Toronto:

1. Possession of Child Pornography x2
2. Accessing Child Pornography x2 

Brendan Eckstrom was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Tennyson Johnson, 34, of Toronto:

1. Accessing Child Pornography
2. Possession of Child Pornography
3. Make Available Child Pornography         

Tennyson Johnson was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Mahir Khadem, 22, of Toronto:

1. Accessing Child Pornography
2. Possession of Child Pornography x2      

Mahir Khadem was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Young Person of Toronto:

1. Accessing Child Pornography
2. Possession of Child Pornography

The Young Person was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Randy Paquette, 49, of Toronto:

1. Possession of Child Pornography x2
2. Accessing Child Pornography x2
3. Make Available Child Pornography         

Randy Paquette was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Roman Kozak, 51, of Toronto:

1. Possession of Child Pornography
2. Accessing Child Pornography
3. Telecommunication agreement to commit specific crime with individuals under 14

Roman Kozak was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Ian Melamud, 50, of Toronto:

1. Accessing Child Pornography
2. Possession of Child Pornography
3. Making Child Pornography
4. Export Child Pornography
5. Import child pornography  

Ian Melamud was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Adult Male, 33, of Toronto:

1. Invitation to Sexual Touching
2. Sexual Interference
3. Sexual Assault
4. Making Child Pornography

The Adult Male was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Adult Female, 35, of Toronto:

1. Abandon/expose child under 10 years    

The Adult Female was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Vishnu Krishna, 26, of Toronto:

1. Possession of Child Pornography x2
2. Accessing Child Pornography
3. Import child pornography  

Vishnu Krishna was released on bail and a court date is pending.

John Wilson, 55, of Toronto:

• Possession of Child Pornography x2
• Accessing Child Pornography x2
• Make Available Child Pornography         

John Wilson was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Joseph Nunes, 69, of Toronto:

1. Accessing Child Pornography
2. Possession of Child Pornography
3. Make Available Child Pornography         

Joseph Nunes was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Ryan Morris, 46, of Toronto:

1. Accessing Child Pornography x2
2. Possession of Child Pornography x2
3. Make Available Child Pornography         

Ryan Morris was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Alexander Schnurr, 22, of Toronto (Repeat):

1. Possession of Child Pornography
2. Accessing Child Pornography
3. Fail to Comply With  Probation         

Alexander Schnurr was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Richard Spurlock, 21, of Toronto:

1. Possession of Child Pornography
2. Accessing Child Pornography
3. Non-Consensual Distribution of Intimate Images
4. Distribution of Child Pornography
5. Make Available Child Pornography
6. Criminal Harassment          

Richard Spurlock was released on bail and a court date is pending.

James Fraser, 53, of Stouffville

1. Accessing Child Pornography
2. Possession of Child Pornography
3. Make Available Child Pornography         

James Fraser was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Ahmed Karrar, 27, of Toronto:

1. Luring a person under 16
2. Invitation to Sexual Touching
3. Possession of Child Pornography
4. Sexual Assault x 3
5. Sexual Interference x3       

Ahmed Karrar was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Yanshen Huang, 45, of Toronto:

1. Possession of Child Pornography x4
2. Accessing Child Pornography x3 

Yanshen Huang was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Young Person of Toronto:

1. Luring a person under 16
2. Extortion       

The Young Person was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Nicholas Demitro, 32, of Toronto:

1. Accessing Child Pornography x2
2. Possession of Child Pornography x2
3. Make Available Child Pornography         

Nicholas Demitro was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Charles Rowe, 28, of Toronto:

1. Possession of Child Pornography
2. Accessing Child Pornography      

Charles Rowe was released on bail and a court date is pending.

Adult Male, 25, of Sandy Lake:

1. Making Child Pornography x2
2. Possession of Child Pornography x2
3. Make Available Child Pornography
4. Accessing Child Pornography      

The Adult Male was remanded.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-2222, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.