An Abbotsford man is facing criminal charges after an alleged “sextortion” incident.
In October 2021, a young female contacted the Port Moody Police Department detailing an event where someone had obtained her password-protected intimate images from a cloud-based platform. The suspect threatened to distribute the images if she didn’t send additional intimate images.
Detectives in the Major Crime Section launched an exhaustive investigation spanning more than one year which included an arrest, a search warrant and the seizure of numerous devices. On November 29, 2022, the British Columbia Prosecution Service approved charges against Jesse Toews. He is alleged to have committed the following offences:
- Possession of child pornography, contrary to section 163.1(4) of the Criminal Code of Canada;
- Using a computer password to commit an offence, contrary to section 342.1(1)(d) of the Criminal Code of Canada.
“This investigation was sophisticated and technical, uncovering other alleged compromised data and other potential victims” states Constable Sam Zacharias. “We commend the victim for coming forward to police and reporting this incident. If you are the victim of an extortion, we recommend you call police immediately.”
Constable Sam Zacharias, #122
Media Relations Officer, Port Moody Police Department
(t) 604-461-3456 (f) 604-461-1734