On May 5, RCMP announced the successful apprehension of an Ohio man accused of online luring of a ten-year-old Manitoba girl. Thirty-two-year old Courtney Arden Wise III has been charged with sexual exploitation of children, receipt of visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possession of child pornography.

Wise is being held by U.S. law enforcement officials as they investigate concerns that other children have likely been victimized by him.

“The details of this case are disturbing and underscore the real dangers that online predators and those with malicious intent pose to impressionable children and youth,” says Corporal Emmie Clements of the RCMP’s Integrated Child Exploitation Unit. “We are thankful to our partners at Homeland Security Investigations for their help and collaboration in locating and arresting a suspect for this heinous crime.”

The investigation began last December when Manitoba RCMP were notified by one of the child’s family members regarding a concerning incident. The child had been persuaded by someone online, believed to be a teen male, to send explicit images of herself. He also sent explicit images to the child.

The male continued to groom the girl through subsequent text messages, requesting further photos and videos of herself.

After review of the child’s correspondence, the RCMP were able to determine that the suspect lived in the United States.

Homeland Security Investigations at the U.S. embassy in Ottawa were called in to assist. On February 12, Homeland Security special agents narrowed in on the suspect’s location and made the arrest.

A search of Wise’s electronic devices provided evidence to back the allegations.

“Homeland Security Investigations remains committed to working with law enforcement worldwide to combat child exploitation,” says Maggie Sigur, attaché for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations. “This case underscores the impact of cross-border collaboration in protecting children, a commitment we share with the RCMP.”

Earlier this spring, Corporal Clements and Constable Joanie Duguay, members of the Internet Child Exploitation team, attended the Niverville High School for a two-day interactive presentation on youth internet safety.

It was one of the first in a series of Manitoba high school presentations planned for this year.