International child sex abuse investigation prompts charges for Winnipeg man

Posted October 9, 2026 4:56 pm

2 min read

Warning: This story contains content that may be disturbing to some readers. Discretion is advised.

A Winnipeg man is facing numerous charges after an investigation into an international child exploitation operation, according to police.

A 50-year-old Winnipeg man was arrested earlier this month by officers with the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) internet child exploitation unit after investigators determined he ran an online account that distributed child sexual abuse and exploitation material (CSAEM) that involved children in the Philippines, police said in a news release.

Canadian officers initiated an investigation following a tip to the RCMP from Homeland Security Investigations in the U.S. The law enforcement agency said an ongoing international probe pointed to a suspect who was operating under an alias and based in Canada. After determining the man lived in Winnipeg, the internet child exploitation unit for WPS stepped in.

Investigators believe the suspect was working with two people in the Philippines between December 2017 and July 2023 to create the abusive material. The duo living in the Asian country were said to have several children who were preschool to school-aged in their care.

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“It is believed that the communications involved creation of CSAEM by two individuals in the Philippines in exchange for money and that the suspect also transmitted CSAEM to the individuals,” Winnipeg police wrote in the news release, adding that the suspect reportedly demanded additional material between March 2023 and July 2023.

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The man threatened to share the CSAEM he previously received from the pair on social media if they did not meet his demands in 2023, police alleged.

RCMP National Child Exploitation Crime Centre investigators also discovered that the suspect was allegedly posting abusive material of children on U.S. social media platforms, and forwarded that information to Winnipeg police, it said.

Christopher Steven Hoskins was arrested at a home in south Winnipeg on Oct. 1, police said, noting that officers seized several electronic devices.

As a result, the 50-year-old is facing a slew of charges, including:

• imports, distributes, sells or possess for the purpose of distribution or sale any child pornography for the purpose of distribution;

• imports, distributes, sells or possess for the purpose of distribution or sale any child pornography for the purpose of transmitting;

• agreement to commit a sexual offence against a person under 18 years of age;

• agreement to commit a sexual offence against a person under 16 years of age;

• counsel a person to commit sexual interference;

• counsel a person to commit invitation to sexual touching;

• access any child pornography;

• makes, prints, publishes or possess for the purpose of publication any child pornography;

• extortion;

• possession of child pornography;

• possession of child sexual abuse and exploitation material.

Hoskins was released on a Crown consent court order, which prohibits him from contacting anyone under 18 years old.