A 24-year-old Georgetown man is facing additional child exploitation charges as the Waterloo Regional Police Service continues an ongoing investigation.
On Monday, July 13th, investigators charged 24-year-old Benjamin Haden with:
- Make Sexually Explicit Material Available to a Child
- Possession of Child Sexual Assault and Exploitation Material
- Making Child Sexual Assault and Exploitation Material (five counts)
- Luring a Child Under 16 Years (six counts)
Waterloo Police, Thunder Bay Police, and Halton Police believe there may be additional adult and child victims.
Haden is known to have used multiple usernames and aliases, including Haroldkumar2321, Haroldkumar1120, Haroldkumar1121, bradley232114, and the names Ben, Benji, Harold, Jacob, Bradley, Brett, Emma, and Katie.
According to investigators, he frequently contacted the same individuals using different identities and often claimed he had found their phone number written in a public place to begin conversations. In some cases, police allege he offered vape pods, alcohol, or drugs in exchange for sexual services.
Anyone with information or who believes they may have been a victim is asked to contact the Waterloo Regional Police Service. Victim Services of Waterloo Region is also available to provide crisis intervention, emotional support, and referrals to those affected by crime.
ORIGINAL (Published on March 18th at 10:10 a.m.)
A police investigation into internet child exploitation has led to a search warrant being executed at a residence in Georgetown.
Waterloo Regional Police say officers working in partnership with Thunder Bay Police Service carried out search warrants on Friday, March 13th at homes in both Waterloo and Georgetown as part of the investigation.
The investigation resulted in the arrest of a 24-year-old Waterloo man, who is facing multiple charges:
- Making Child Sexual Assault and Exploitation Material
- Possession of Child Sexual Assault and Exploitation Material
- Invitation to Sexual Touching
- Making Sexually Explicit Material Available to a Child
- Luring a Child Under 16 Years (x2)
The accused was held in custody for a bail hearing.
