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Guilty plea entered in child pornography and luring case

Shiva Dhanna of Innisfil pled guilty on Thursday in relation to charges of extortion and possession of child pornography among others
2015-12-30 South Simcoe Police KA 02
File photo. Kenneth Armstrong/Village Media

NEWS RELEASE
SOUTH SIMCOE POLICE SERVICE
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An Innisfil man has pleaded guilty in a child pornography and child luring case that involved victims in western Canada and the United States.

South Simcoe Police Service officers began an investigation in February 2019 after receiving information from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) regarding child pornography involving a 12-year-old girl over social media sites including Snapchat and Instagram. As a result, 24-year-old Shiva Dhanna of Innisfil was arrested on Wednesday, February 20, 2019 and police executed a search warrant at a home in the 9th Line and 25th Sideroad area of Innisfil.  In January 2020, police laid additional charges against Dhanna after further investigation identified a second child victim in the United States.

On Thursday, June 4, 2020, Dhanna pleaded guilty to the following charges via teleconference to Barrie court:

  • Extortion
  • Possession of child pornography
  • Making child pornography
  • Luring a person under 18 years of age by means of telecommunications (two counts)

Dhanna will be sentenced at a later date.

QUOTE: Detective Sergeant Kai Johnson, Criminal Investigation Bureau
"South Simcoe Police Service is committed to the protection of our children and continues to work with policing partners worldwide to ensure the safety of children."

This is one of several international child luring investigations in the past year that has been brought to a successful conclusion by South Simcoe Police Service in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies. We urge parents to be vigilant and involved in their child's internet activities, especially during the pandemic. Talk to children about the potential risks and monitor their internet use. With more children isolating at home and more offenders also self-isolating, there will be increased risk.

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