Cobalt teacher accused of Facebook child luring

OPP NEWS RELEASE

************************* COBALT, ON - Members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Child Sexual Exploitation Section (Project “P”), and Temiskaming OPP Detachment have arrested and charged a Cobalt man following a month-long online child luring investigation.

On December 16, OPP officers executed a search warrant at a New Liskeard residence and seized a laptop and desktop computer and arrested the 29-year-old accused for offering an underage girl money in exchange for her performing a sexual act.

The investigation revealed that, over the past month, the accused would have sexually explicit conversations with local area girls on Facebook and in one such conversation he offered a 15-year-old victim a sum of money to perform sexual acts. Geoff Ludkin, 29, of Cobalt Ontario has been charged with two counts of Internet luring and one count of juvenile prostitution.

He was released after a bail hearing on December 16 with conditions not to communicate with anyone under the age of 16 years, not to possess a computer or access the Internet and to be in the company of his surety at all times. Ludkin is scheduled for his first appearance on January 22, at the Criminal Court of Justice in Haileybury. Ludkin was employed as a supply teacher for the past year and a half with the District School Board Ontario North East and the Northeastern District Catholic School Board.

On the Internet he utilized “Tyson Peltier” as his username.

At this time police do not believe that his employment as a supply teacher played a role in the offences.

Police are encouraging anyone with further information pertaining to this investigation to contact the OPP child sexual exploitation section at 416-235-4552

The OPP are also reminding parents to remain vigilant as to how their children utilize the Internet.

For further information and safety tips on the internet go to: www.opp.ca

The investigation is continuing.

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