Update: Elan Charles Brest appeared in Moncton Provincial Court on July 24, and five additional charges were laid. To date, he has now been charged with two counts of sexual assault, two counts of sexual exploitation, two counts of child luring, two counts of sexual interference, and two counts of making child pornography. He was remanded into custody, and will return to court on August 8.
Original news release:
A 24-year-old man from New Hampshire, USA, has been arrested and is in custody following an investigation into child luring in the Moncton, N.B., area.
On July 11, 2023, members of the Codiac Regional RCMP responded to a report of a potential child luring incident at a hotel on Mountain Road in Moncton. When police arrived, they located a 24-year-old man from New Hampshire, with a youth under the age of 16. The man was arrested at the scene.
Through a subsequent investigation, police determined that the man had been communicating with the youth online prior to coming to Canada and meeting the youth.
On July 12, Elan Charles Brest appeared in Moncton Provincial Court by way of tele-remand, and was charged with:
- Sexual assault
- Sexual interference
- Sexual exploitation
- Child luring
- Making child pornography
He was remanded into custody, and is scheduled to return to court on July 24 for a bail hearing.
In the early morning hours of July 13, police executed a search warrant on a hotel room in connection with the investigation. As a result of the search, police seized several items, including sexual paraphernalia.
The investigation is ongoing.
"Parents are encouraged to talk to their children, and be aware of the sites they visit online," says Sgt. Hebert. "There are many resources available to parents to help them have conversations with their children about staying safe online."
For more information on how to protect yourself and your children online, please visit the following links: