On Tuesday the Niagara Regional Police Service was made aware of allegations that a 41 year old female was sharing sexually explicit material with a group of students aged 16 and 17.
Members of the Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit, Technological Crimes Unit (TCU) and School Resource Officers subsequently began a full investigation.
On Thursday, Stephanie Colangelo, a Port Colborne resident, was arrested and charged with: One count of making available sexually explicit material to a person under the age of 18; one count of luring a child in order to commit sexual exploitation; and one count of luring a child to make child pornography.
She being held in custody pending a bail hearing today at the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse in St. Catharines.
At the time of the alleged incident, the accused was employed as a teacher with the Niagara Catholic District School Board at Denis Morris High School in St. Catharines.
The Niagara Regional Police Service’s ICE Unit is asking that anyone with information relating to this investigation contact Detective Constable Mike Pataran via email at nrpsice@niagarapolice.ca.
Members of the E-Crimes Unit are aware that there is material related to the investigation circulating amongst members of the public. The Niagara Regional Police Service would like to remind members of the public, that it is against the law to distribute intimate images/videos of any person without the consent of the person depicted in the image/video.
The Niagara Regional Police Service is a member of the Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet and conducts investigations into Internet Child Exploitation Offences in partnership with numerous Ontario Police Services. This investigative initiative has been made possible with financial assistance from the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services and the Ministry of the Attorney General.
Members of the public can report suspicious Internet activities relating to child exploitation to the Niagara Regional Police Service, or online at www.cybertip.ca. Internet safety tips for parents, children and Internet users are also available on the Cybertip website.
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