Ontario woman accused of arranging child sexual exploitation: police

An Ontario woman who allegedly planned to sexually exploit a child, along with a man previously charged with similar offences, is facing charges, police said.

The Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) announced the charges in a press release issued Monday after a search warrant was executed Sunday at an address south of Ottawa.

The charges stem from the December arrest of Craig Thompson, 42, of Bowmanville, who allegedly planned to meet an American woman and perform sexual acts on her and her children, who police said were ages 2 and 6 at the time, in a separate incident.

According to police, after further analysis of Thompson’s phone, detectives discovered a conversation on the KIK app between Thompson and a woman in Canada with the username “harleyquinn_613.”

“Detailed agreements were made during the conversation about committing sexual offences against a young child,” DRPS said.

Following the discovery, DRPS said its Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit attempted to locate the woman and landed at a residence in Smiths Falls, Ontario. Police said the female suspect was located at the residence and taken into custody without incident.

Sheena Smith, 37, is accused of consenting or arranging for the commission of a sexual offense against a child under the age of 16, producing child pornography, possessing child pornography and committing other alleged crimes.

Her possible relationship to the child was not disclosed. Smith was being held for a bail hearing.

Investigators are concerned that there may be more victims and are asking anyone with information to contact them.

DRPS added that the ICE Unit is currently working with the RCMP and U.S. law enforcement to “investigate and take appropriate action” against the “female party” involved in the December incident. She was not identified by police.