Niagara Falls Man Arrested on Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Material Charges

In March of 2025, detectives with the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) Internet Child Exploitation (I.C.E.) Unit commenced an investigation into the sexual exploitation of children. The investigation stemmed from a found property incident involving child sexual abuse and exploitation material contained in an electronic storage device. This investigation was navigated by the ICE Unit and led to a Niagara Falls resident.

Detectives from the ICE Unit and the Technological Crimes Unit began a joint investigation into the matter which led to an arrest on Thursday, March 26, 2026.

46-year-old Joseph PETONOQUOT of Niagara Falls has been charged with the following offences.

• Possession of Child Pornography
• Possession of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Material x2
• Accessing Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Material
• Fail to Comply with Prohibition Order

PETONOQUOT remains in custody and is scheduled to attend a bail hearing Thursday, March 26, 2026, at the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse, located at 59 Church Street in St. Catharines.

Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service’s ICE Unit at 905-688-4111, option 3, extension 1009398.

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.

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.

Incident #25-29867, 26-35154