Thunder Bay Cyber Crime Investigation Leads to Child Luring and Sexual Exploitation Material Charges

THUNDER BAY — CRIME NEWS — A 26-year-old Thunder Bay man faces three charges following a Thunder Bay Police Service Cyber Crime Unit investigation that began after police received a report alleging a resident was luring a minor online.

Police say the investigation began in July 2026. Officers seized an electronic device on July 28 as part of the investigation, and the accused turned himself in at Thunder Bay Police Service headquarters on Sept. 2.

Thunder Bay Man Faces Three Criminal Code Charges

Police have charged Syed Shayan Munawar, 26, of Thunder Bay, with luring a person under 18 by means of telecommunication, making sexually explicit material available to a person under 18, and possession of child sexual abuse and exploitation material.

Munawar was released from custody following his first court appearance and is scheduled to return to court at a later date.

The charges have not been proven.

Munawar is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

What a Child Luring Charge Means Under Canadian Law

Online luring is addressed under section 172.1 of the Criminal Code.

The law makes it an offence to use telecommunications to communicate with a person who is, or who the accused believes is, below a specified age for the purpose of facilitating certain sexual offences.

Telecommunications can include online messaging, social media, texting, gaming platforms and other forms of electronic communication.

For the under-18 provision, the Crown must prove more than the existence of communication. It must establish the prohibited purpose required by the section.

A child-luring offence can be prosecuted by indictment, carrying a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment and, under the current wording of the Criminal Code, a minimum term of one year. If prosecuted summarily, the maximum is two years less a day, with a six-month minimum set out in the legislation.

Actual sentencing depends on the facts established in court, including the nature and duration of the communications, the age of the child, whether grooming or deception was involved, the accused’s criminal history and other aggravating or mitigating circumstances. Custodial sentences are common following convictions for serious online sexual offences involving children, but the sentence in any individual case is determined by the court.

Making Sexually Explicit Material Available to a Minor

Munawar is also accused of making sexually explicit material available to a person under 18.

That offence is covered by section 171.1 of the Criminal Code.

The provision applies when sexually explicit material is transmitted, made available, distributed or sold to a child for the purpose of facilitating specified sexual offences.

The Criminal Code distinguishes sexually explicit material under this section from material defined separately as child sexual abuse and exploitation material.

An indictable conviction under section 171.1 carries a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment, with the current statute setting a six-month minimum. If the Crown proceeds summarily, the maximum is two years less a day and the legislation sets a 90-day minimum.

The actual sentence depends on the conduct proven in court and the circumstances of the offence.

Possession of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Material

The third allegation involves possession of child sexual abuse and exploitation material under section 163.1 of the Criminal Code.

Canadian law defines that term to include certain visual, written and audio material involving the sexual abuse or sexual exploitation of people under 18.

Possession can be prosecuted by indictment, with a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a statutory minimum of one year, or by summary conviction, where the maximum is two years less a day and the legislation sets a six-month minimum.

Courts consider factors such as the volume and nature of material, how it was obtained, how long it was possessed, whether it was shared and the offender’s circumstances when determining sentence.

Police Seek Additional Information

Thunder Bay Police say anyone with information that could assist investigators should contact Detective Const. Joel Manherz at 807-684-1200, ext. 4115.

Anonymous information can be provided to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Police say the investigation was supported through funding from Ontario’s Ministry of the Solicitor General.

Online Luring: What Parents and Caregivers Should Watch For

Thunder Bay Police are reminding parents and caregivers that ongoing involvement in children’s online lives is an important part of protecting them from exploitation.

Cybertip.ca, Canada’s national tipline for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children, describes online luring as the use of technology to communicate with a young person in order to facilitate a sexual offence.

Common grooming tactics can include someone pretending to be a peer, offering excessive compliments or attention, promising gifts or money, encouraging secrecy, attempting to undermine a child’s relationship with parents, sending sexual material or pressuring a young person to send intimate images.

Parents and caregivers can reduce risk by talking regularly with children about who they communicate with online, discussing warning signs, reviewing privacy and location-sharing settings and making clear that children can seek help without fear of being blamed if an online interaction becomes uncomfortable or threatening.

Cybertip.ca emphasizes that children should know they can block or leave uncomfortable conversations and speak with a trusted adult rather than trying to manage serious situations alone.

Suspected online sexual exploitation of a child can be reported through Cybertip.ca, which is operated by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection.

Prevention Resources Are Also Available

Thunder Bay Police also highlighted Talking for Change, a national prevention program supported by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

The service provides anonymous support and free therapy to people concerned about a sexual interest in children, the use of child sexual abuse material or the risk of sexually offending against a child.

Talking for Change offers an anonymous national helpline at 1-833-703-3303, as well as online chat and therapy services.

The program is designed as an early-intervention resource intended to prevent offending and reduce harm before a child is victimized.

Protecting Children Requires Early Reporting

Digital communication has expanded the ways children socialize, learn and play, but it has also created avenues through which adults or other offenders can gain private access to young people.

Parents do not need to understand every new app to play an important protective role.

Regular conversations about online relationships, secrecy, inappropriate requests and where to seek help can make it easier for young people to recognize concerning behaviour and report it early.

Anyone who believes a child is in immediate danger should call 911.