Calgary online offender charged after cross-Canada investigation

A Calgary man has been charged with a number of offences including child luring, extortion and counselling suicide following a cross-Canada investigation involving Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

ALERT and OPP coordinated a six-month investigation where an Ontario girl reported she was sexual extorted and harasses online. The offences date back a period of five years when she was 11-years-old.

Police say she reported receiving unsolicited messages from an unknown person on various social media channels.

The messages were both sexual and violent in nature with the suspect allegedly threatening to kill the girl and her family and also coercing the victim to commit suicide.

Police identified an Alberta-based suspect and a Calgary home was searched on Oct. 21. Twenty-eight-year-old Brady Provost was arrested.

A number of electronic devices were seized and will be subject to expert forensic analysis. Police say they are exploring the possibility of identifying other victims.

“While this case highlights the borderless nature of these crimes, it also sends a message to those who exploit children about the tenacity and collaboration exhibited by Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) investigators across Canada. I am grateful to my partners in Calgary ICE who hit the ground running and put an end to the offender’s heinous acts. The courage and resilience of this victim is an inspiration to all,” said Detective Constable Cory Wilson of the OPP CSEU in a statement.

Police are asking anyone with information about these investigations, or any child exploitation offence, to contact local police or cybertip.ca.