Man faces child pornography charges in St. Catharines, Ontario

A St. Catharines man faces child pornography charges after police seized devices from a home in the city.

Niagara Regional Police said officers began an investigation into the alleged sexual exploitation of children in September.

On Tuesday, police obtained a warrant and searched a home in St. Catharines, police said.

Police said officers seized numerous devices capable of storing electronic data.

Harry Michael Ward, 22, of St. Catharines, faces several charges including two counts of possession of child pornography; two counts of accessing child pornography; and two counts of distributing child pornography, police said.

Ward was held in custody after his arrest and is set to appear for a bail hearing in St. Catharines.

Online platforms that allow like-minded users to engage with minors, create, share, and store child sexual abuse material are prevalent on the internet, police said.  Offenders who attempt to lure children behind an anonymous accounts on different platforms can be identified and will be held accountable for their actions.

For more information on how parents and guardians can keep children safe online click here.