ICE, Canadian law enforcement arrest child predator

TORONTO, Canada — A Canadian national was arrested Jan. 5 in Toronto and charged with the creation, possession and distribution of child pornography. The arrest resulted from a joint investigation between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Attaché Office in Toronto, the Toronto Police Service’s Child Exploitation Section and the Barrie Police Service’s Internet Child Exploitation Section.

Peter Eric Kirkeby, 26, of Barrie, Canada, is also charged with using telecommunication devices to commit the offense of sexual assault and creating child pornography, as well as soliciting a person to have illicit sexual intercourse.

Law enforcement officials believe there may be more victims associated with this case. Individuals with information regarding Kirkeby or other child exploitation violations can report tips to HSI through its toll-free tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or via its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may also be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

“When it comes to identifying and arresting child predators, there are no international boundaries or barries,” said Matthew Stentz, HSI’s attache in Canada. “I commend our Canadian law enforcement partners for their continued bilateral cooperation in these and all investigative areas of mutual interest.”

This investigation was conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 12,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2014, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.