Alleged attempt to lure child sees charges for Oshawa man

An Oshawa man has been charged with numerous offences after Toronto Police claim he tried to lure a child into sexual activity online.

Investigators believe the man used the social media app Snapchat to approach the child under the user name Starboy_xx0. They got a warrant and raided a home near Rossland Road and Thornton Road in Oshawa. This area is largely commercial but also home to some detached houses and an apartment building.

During the raid, police seized an unspecified electronic device and arrested Tamim Shah, 24 of Oshawa.

Shah is charged with a battery of offences including;

• Luring a person under 18 years old through telecommunication
• Luring a person under 16 6ears old through telecommunication
• Invitation to sexual Touching
• Making child pornography
• Making sexually explicit material available to someone under 16
• Possession of child pornography
• Accessing child pornography
• Making child pornography available, and
• Breaching probation

He remained held in custody until a bail hearing on April 25. Police believe there are possibly other victims and have asked any to come forward. Anyone with information can call police at 416-808-8500 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

“The Toronto Police Service recognizes that parents and caregivers are the frontline when it comes to protecting children on the Internet and electronic devices. We encourage you to remain vigilant in your efforts,” police wrote.

Victim Services of Durham Region also provides a great deal of support for sexual abuse survivors 24/7. This organization works closely with police in numerous cases, primarily abuse and human trafficking. However, they do not report to the police.