St. Catharines man charged in child sex assault

(Updated) Niagara Police are again warning parents and young people about predators lurking online.

Jeremy Lane, 24, is accused of striking up a conversation with a 12 year old girl online, then luring her to a face-to-face meeting with him. Staff Sergeant Randy Bleich alleges, it was at that meeting the girl was sexually assaulted.

“The young girl went back home and told her parents the following day what happened. As a result the Niagara Police were contacted.”

The child abuse and internet child exploitation unit detectives zeroed in on Lane. They arrested him in the alley behind Mid Town Plaza.

Police raided his basement apartment on Scott Street. Lane had lived there for about two years. Property manager Lorne Papetti was shocked when he found out Lane had been accused of sexually assaulting a 12 year old girl. He’s also charged with possessing and making child pornography.

“When the police came in with a search warrant, they brought in dollies taking all the video equipment out of the room. It just shocked me.”

Pappetti says Lane was quiet. He kept to himself. Occasionally he’d have people over, and disappear for a week or so to visit his mother or stepfather.

This incident has police again warning the public about the perils of social media, and the possibility of predators targeting children and teenagers.

“It comes back to people knowing what’s going on, on the internet. Parents knowing what their children are doing on the internet.”

If parents are worried about who their children are talking to on the internet, police say they can give them a call.

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