U.S. man charged with online sexual abuse of Ottawa child, 11

Ottawa and U.S. security agencies identified and charge a Pennsylvania man, 22, in the online sex assault of an 11-year-old Ottawa child. Photo by Luke Hendry /POSTMEDIA

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A 22-year-old Pennsylvania man faces a number of charges of child sex abuse following an international investigation involving the Ottawa police Internet Child Exploitation unit and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, as well as other agencies.

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The case began May 12, when OPS ICE initiated an investigation into a complaint that an 11-year-old in Ottawa had been sexually exploited online.

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Through a number of interviews of the victim, as well as examining digital evidence, the Ottawa investigators determined that the 11-year-old had been “sexually exploited over several months,” police said in a release.

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The probe also found evidence that the suspect had allegedly abused a second youth, age 14, in the U.S.

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Investigators were able to identify the suspect and, in co-operation with the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), confirmed he had travelled from the U.S. to Ottawa to meet the 11-year-old Ottawa victim in July 2025.

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Following further investigation, Joseph Erkert, 22, of Dingmans Ferry, Penn., was arrested by U.S. authorities and charged with: Sexual abuse of children; unlawful contact with a minor; corruption of a minor and criminal use of communication facility.

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Regarding the 14-year-old victim, Erkert was charged with aggravated indecent assault, corruption of a minor, unlawful contact with a minor, aggravated indecent assault without consent and Indecent assault on a person less than 16 years of age.

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Ottawa police noted that the suspect used the following web handles: nextrevit79 and Next revitYT. There are concerns there might be other victims.

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Anyone who recognizes the usernames or believes their child may have had contact with this individual is asked to contact the OPS Internet Child Exploitation Unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 5660. Tips may also be sent to [email protected].

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Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 or online at crimestoppers.ca.

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