A Fergus man is facing charges after he was arrested in a province-wide investigation into child sexual exploitation, dubbed Project Limestone.
Wilfred Thyssen, 67, is facing two counts of arranging to commit a sexual offence against a child, and one count of failing to comply with a release order.
He is one of 10 people facing 39 criminal charges altogether.
The investigation was completed by the OPP, along with North Bay Police, Greater Sudbury Police, Durham Regional Police, York Regional Police and Peel Regional Police between Sept. 12 and 15. The services got support from Sault Ste. Marie Police.
"Investigators utilized undercover techniques to access online chat rooms and social media applications designed for children in order to identify, locate and arrest persons looking to sexually exploit children," the OPP said in a media release.
As part of the investigation, the OPP said 55 devices were seized.
It also noted six people were arrested when they showed up at a pre-arranged location to meet with investigators who posed as children online. Two set up meetings with undercover investigators posing as mothers with young children.
"Some of the accused arrived with candy, toys and sexual paraphernalia," the OPP release added.
Others arrested include two people each from Sudbury and Vaughan, and one person each from North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Markham and Whitby. Another person arrested is from Massachusetts.
The Fergus man is the oldest person among those arrested. The others range in age between 25 and 65.
