Arrest Made in Online Child Luring Investigation – Niagara Falls
On Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at approximately 9:00 p.m. uniform officers of the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) assigned to 2 District (Niagara Falls/Niagara-on-the-Lake) attended an address in the Drummond Road and Morrison Street area of Niagara Falls in response to an indecent act call for service.
The initial investigation determined that a third-party group using online decoy tactics had identified what they believed to be a child predator. The group confronted the individual at his residence before contacting police to turn over their evidence.
Detectives with the NRPS Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit assumed carriage of the investigation. On Thursday, October 8, 2026, detectives identified and arrested 36-year-old Geoffrey David CANAL of Niagara Falls resident for the following Criminal Code offences:
- Luring a Child via Telecommunication to Facilitate Sexual Interference
- Luring a Child via Telecommunication to Facilitate Invitation to Sexual Touching
- Making Sexually Explicit Material Available to a Child
- Making Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Material (written and audio recording)
CANAL remains in custody and is scheduled to attend a bail hearing Thursday, October 8, 2026, via video link to the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse, located at 59 Church Street in St. Catharines.
Online platforms that allow like-minded users to engage with minors, create, share, and store Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Material (CSAEM) are prevalent on the Internet. Offenders who attempt to lure children behind anonymous accounts on different platforms can be identified and will be held accountable for their actions. 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.
Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service’s Internet Child Exploitation Unit at 905-688-4111.
Members of the community who wish to provide information anonymously can contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to people who contact the program with information which leads to an arrest.
NRPS Incident 26-127509