A man with a history of sexually assaulting young girls and who was charged in Abbotsford in October is one of eight men arrested in an online sexual exploitation investigation by Ontario police.
Danny Depew, 52, of Abbotsford was identified Tuesday as being among the eight suspects accused of seeking to sexually exploit children in Peterborough, Ont.
He has been charged with three counts of luring a person under the age of 16 and one count of breaching his probation.
Over the course of three days, officers who presented themselves as children under the age of consent went undercover in online chatrooms and on social media.
Investigators say they communicated with 36 people, resulting in the arrests of Depew and seven men from Ontario.
Six of the suspects were arrested when they arrived at a location to meet a child for a sexual purpose.
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RELATED: Abbotsford resident among eight charged in Ontario sexual exploitation probe
They range in age from 21 to 55 years old, and face a total of 36 charges.
Depew was charged in Abbotsford in October with telecommunicating to lure a child under the age of 16 and two counts of breaching his probation. Those charges are currently making their way through the courts.
He was also the subject of previous public warnings in Calgary.
The Calgary Police Service first warned the public in December 2010 that Depew was being released from prison after serving a 5.5 year sentence for two counts of sexual assault and three counts of sexual exploitation.
Police at that time said he would be monitored under the high-risk offender program for two years.
Depew’s charges related to his having sex with three teenage girls in 2003 after he lured them to his home.
Calgary police again notified the public in May 2013 that Depew was being released into the community, this time after serving an 18-month sentence for breaching a peace bond.
They said his criminal history included convictions in Alberta for sexual assault, sexual exploitation of a person with a disability, assault, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, break-and-enter, and causing a disturbance.
He was again being monitored for two years.
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Vikki Hopes | Reporter
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