Media Release – December 4, 2025

More charges for Hamilton man accused of luring, sexual assault

 A Hamilton man arrested in the summer for luring and sexually assaulting a Guelph child faces more charges as a result of an ongoing investigation.

The 13-year-old Guelph girl met the man through Snapchat in February of this year and they began communicating regularly. He began pressuring her for an intimate relationship, despite knowing her age.  

Shortly after they started communicating, the man came to Guelph and picked up the girl and another young female to spend time with him in Hamilton. While the three were in a grassy area the man touched the 13-year-old inappropriately. The incident was later reported to the Guelph Police. 

In July a 38-year-old Hamilton man was arrested by members of the Guelph Police Service Human Trafficking/Intimate Partner Violence unit. He is charged with luring a person under 16, sexual assault, sexual interference and criminal harassment.

The man’s phone was seized at the time of his arrest. As a result of further investigation, he was rearrested Wednesday and also charged with possessing child sexual abuse and exploitation material, invitation to sexual touching and communicating with someone under 18 for the purpose of obtaining sexual services. He will appear in court January 16.

Arrest in bank investigator scam

A Brampton man has been arrested after a Guelph resident fell victim to a bank investigator scam.

On July 23, a Guelph man in his 80s reported the scam. He was contacted by a male who claimed to be representing the Bank of Montreal. The caller advised the man that his banking cards had been compromised and needed to be destroyed.

Arrangements were made for a bank representative to attend the victim’s home and collect the cards. Later that day a man did attend and was given the cards, which were then used to make more than $5,000 in purchases.

A suspect was identified as a result of a multi-jurisdictional investigation into similar scams across Ontario. On Wednesday a 26-year-old Brampton man was arrested for two counts each of fraud under $5,000 and unauthorized use of a credit card. He will appear in court January 16.

Seven fake bills used to buy phone

Residents are reminded to be cautious when involved in online purchases after a Guelph man received seven counterfeit $100 bills in exchange for an iPhone he was selling.

Wednesday night, the victim reported he listed an iPhone 15 Pro for sale on an online marketplace. He was contacted by a prospective buyer, who attended the victim’s residence Wednesday evening. The seller said he was suspicious of the bills but accepted them after the buyer ensured him they were legitimate.

When the victim got back inside for a better look he realized all seven were fake. He then realized the buyer had deleted the Facebook account through which they had been communicating.

Online purchase safety tips

·        Do not meet in a secluded place or invite strangers to your home. Suggest a meet-up during the day at a public location, ideally with video surveillance. The Guelph Police Service offers a Buy & Sell Zone outside the station on Fountain Street East.

·        Have someone come with you to the meet-up. If you can’t have someone come with you, let friends or family know where the meeting is taking place and any details about the buyer or seller.

·        Take screenshots of the advertisements and any contact information provided by the other party.

·        If you are the buyer, do not disclose to the seller how you will be paying if it’s not necessary. If the seller is aware you are attending with cash it creates an opportunity for a robbery to take place.

·        Take note of any vehicles or people associated to the transaction as it is certainly possible that the name they are using online could be false.

Total calls for service in the last 24 hours - 266