Welland man charged in international sexual extortion investigation

A 32-year-old man from Welland has been charged with sexually extorting people under the age of 18 in Canada and several other countries.

Niagara regional police say an investigation started in September after a complaint that a U.S. youth was being sexually extorted.

Officers say they seized digital devices during a search warrant at a home in Welland Nov. 7.

They say they uncovered evidence to suggest the man was using the internet to sexually extort several teens in Canada, the U.S. and several other countries.

Detectives located and arrested Dylan Allan Smith from Welland and charged him with possessing child pornography.

Investigators say Smith was known to use the following profile names or handles to sexually extort youth:

“Dopious”, “Poloipoloi”, “Addipoloi”, “Dandatsy”, “Dmanslam”, “Daddypoloi”

Smith was held in custody after his arrest and is scheduled to appear at a St. Catharines courthouse Thursday.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

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