Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray, Livingston Police Chief Craig Handschuch and the Toronto Police Services announced today that the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit and the Livingston Police Department are actively investigating a case involving 12-year-old girl who was threatened and sexually abused by an adult male who initially posed as Justin Bieber on Facebook.
The Cyber Crimes Unit’s investigation revealed that the suspect was located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Through the ensuing joint investigation with Toronto Police Services, it was discovered that the suspect was Lee Moir, 34, of Toronto, Ontario. With the information developed by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Toronto Police Services commenced an investigation into the incidents in New Jersey, and also initiated a parallel investigation using an undercover officer who posed as a 14-year-old girl.
In Toronto, Moir engaged in sexual conversations with the undercover officer and requested a meeting. On April 4, when Moir arrived at the designated location, he was arrested by the Toronto Police, who later executed a search warrant at his residence. Canadian authorities took Moir into custody and charged him with abusing the New Jersey girl. It is alleged that Moir repeatedly threatened to harm the victim’s family to force her to perform sexual acts using the video chat site ooVoo. Moir also threatened to post the videos on a pornographic website. Charges against Moir in Canada include luring, manufacturing child pornography, and extortion.
“This arrest highlights both the danger posed to children online as well as the best efforts of law enforcement authorities throughout the world to apprehend these child predators who exploit the wide reach and perceived anonymity of the Internet to take advantage of vulnerable children,’’ said Assistant Prosecutor Deborah Freier, who handled the case for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
No other information is available at this time because the investigation in New Jersey remains active and ongoing. Moir is believed to have been in contact with many juvenile females in the United States and abroad, including juvenile females from Canada, France, Australia, and the Philippines, using his Facebook and ooVoo accounts, using the names Lee Oneel, Lee Moir, YodaYoda01, and Justy.Beber1.
Anyone with information on this case is urged to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit at 973-266-7213.
These are accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they plead guilty or are found guilty in a court of law.
