Hunter Valley, AFP international operation arrests man on alleged child exploitation offences
Australian Federal Police have arrested a 29-year-old man accused of child exploitation offences including producing and transmitting child abuse material.
Newcastle
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An international operation with the US has seen a Hunter Valley man charged with child exploitation offences.
The 29-year-old was arrested by Australian Federal Police (AFP) at his home on Wednesday morning and taken to Cessnock Police Station where he was charged.
An investigation began in November when the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation received a referral from the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, police said.
It was regarding an Australian user transmitting child abuse material via a cloud-based service.
Police will allege a Hunter man was the user of the service.
Several electronic items were seized at the man’s residence and will be subject to further forensic examination.
He’s been charged with one count of possessing child abuse material and one count of of production of child abuse material, where the maximum penalty for these offences is 15 and 14 years imprisonment respectively.
He will appear at Newcastle Local Court today.
AFP Commander Investigations Eastern Command, Kirsty Schofield, said the arrest was a cumulative effort that demonstrated the AFP’s commitment to stamping out child exploitation in the Australian community.
“No matter the circumstances, our investigators and analysts are always ready to step up and help catch these offenders and stop them from preying on the young and vulnerable members of our community,” Commander Schofield said.