Edmonton Man Faces Child Exploitation Charges & Investigators Expect Over 100 Victims
He targeted young girls through Snapchat.
Snapchat on a phone. Right: Imesh Ratnayake.
A 21-year-old man from Edmonton who was arrested and charged with child luring and sexual assault could have had more than 100 victims, investigators have said.
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Imesh Ratnayake was arrested in July 2022 in relation to child luring and sexual assault of six children around the Morinville and Edmonton area but he was later released, according to the ALERT Internet Child Exploitation Unit (ICE).
One of the victims identified was just 11 years old.
However, on December 9, Ratnayake was arrested and is now facing 18 additional charges including sexual assault, making child pornography, and child luring. He has been remanded in custody.
Ratnayake is believed to have targeted young girls on Snapchat, using several different profiles and continuing offences by getting access to the victim's contacts, sometimes through extortion.
He was known to his victims under the usernames “islandsauce0129”, “monked.ruffy” or by his pseudonym, Matt Wintoni or “mattwintoni.”
Sergeant Kerry Shima of ICE said as the investigation evolved, thousands of videos and images that show "upwards of potentially 100 additional, unidentified victims of child luring and sexual assault" were discovered.
"Ratnayake was arrested for offences he is alleged to have committed against previously identified children in the Morinville area in the fall of 2021. We want parents in the Edmonton Region to discuss this case with their children to determine if they communicated or met with Mr. Ratnayake,” he added.
ICE are looking to speak to any potential victims or witnesses that may have information.
Anyone with information about this investigation has been encouraged to contact their local police, Edmonton Police Service or tips can be left anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of sexual assault, call the Assaulted Women's Helpline at 1-866-863-0511. You can also contact support services for male survivors of sexual assault at 1-866-887-0015. If you need immediate assistance, please call 911 or go to your nearest hospital. Support is available.