NEWS RELEASE
NIAGARA REGIONAL POLICE SERVICE
************************
In March 2024, Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) Detectives assigned to the Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit began a proactive investigation to target people in our community who use the Internet to contact children for sexual purposes.
During the month of March 2024, Adam John Reginald Smelser (37 years old) of St. Catharines used the Internet to converse with a person who he believed to a be a 14-year-old female. In doing so he committed the following offences:
- Luring a child via telecommunication to facilitate the offence of sexual interference
- Luring a child via telecommunication to facilitate making child pornography
- Exposure to a person under 16 years of age
- Making sexually explicit material available to a child
On April 5, 2024, detectives executed a search warrant at a private residence in the City of St. Catharines and seized devices capable of storing electronic data. Adam Smelser was located within the residence and arrested at the same time.
“Detectives from the Internet Child Exploitation Unit have reason to believe that Adam Smelser was using the name “Adam Sterling” and vanity name “asterling7615” to commit offences against other children on the Internet. If you have information relating to this person please contact the Niagara Regional Police Service at 905-688-4111.”
Adam Smelser was held in custody after his arrest and is set to appear for a bail hearing on April 5, 2024 at the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse, located at 59 Church Street, in the City of St. Catharines.
“This arrest showcases the dedication of our members in ensuring some of the most vulnerable members of our community are protected, sending a strong message that the predatory behaviours associated with using the Internet to lure children for a sexual purpose will not be tolerated in Niagara.”
For more information on how parents and guardians can keep children safe online click here
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 Ontario Police Services and International Partners. This investigative initiative has been made possible by a grant from the Ministry of the Solicitor General.
Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously are encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to persons who contact the program with information that leads to an arrest.
*************************
