Arrested in 2021 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador for multiple online child exploitation offences
Multi-agency effort
Sentenced to 2 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, must register as a sex offender for 10 years
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office
A 25-year-old man from Gulf Island, Canada, has been sentenced to prison for sexually extorting a minor in Contra Costa County in 2020, in what is commonly referred to as a “Sextortion” attack.
In the fall of 2019, Nicholas Fahey used a social media application to contact a minor in Contra Costa County and solicited sexually explicit images from the victim. After the victim complied, Fahey sent the victim a series of threats, indicating he would release the images of the victim unless the victim complied with his demands for more photographs.
The investigation was referred to the Contra Costa County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Fahey was identified as the suspect through an investigation of his social media accounts. Ultimately, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrested Fahey at his home in Bay Bulls, Canada, located in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Fahey was charged on May 21, 2021, in Canada’s version of Superior Court.
On January 23, 2025, Fahey was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years. Fahey will also serve a term of three years of supervised release.
“This investigation highlights the shared commitment of the ICAC Task Force and HSI to pursue criminals, even those operating beyond U.S. borders,” said District Attorney Diana Becton. “Parents need to understand that individuals who prey on minors online are not restricted by national or state boundaries. Those who use the internet to harm our youth should know that my office will collaborate with law enforcement agencies like the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to seek justice for the victims in our county.”
Sextortion is the most common crime targeting children on social media. According to the FBI, between 2021 and 2023, 12,600 children in the United States were victims of sextortion, resulting in at least 20 suicides.
To report sextortion, contact your local law enforcement agency or file a report with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.
Parents are encouraged to talk to their children about the risks associated with smartphone use and social media. If parents, educators, or organizations are interested in presentations on topics like smartphones, social media, or our Vigilant Parents initiative, please contact the District Attorney’s Office at DAOffice@contracostada.org.
According to Corporal Jolene Garland, Media Relations Officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Newfoundland and Labrador, on April 29, 2021, then-twenty-two-year-old Nicholas Fahey of Gull Island was arrested, following an investigation by the RCMP/RNC Integrated Internet Child Exploitation (IICE) team. He is charged with multiple online child exploitation offences.
The investigation began in early 2020, after police received reports from the US Department of Homeland Security that two American youth had been exploited online by a resident of this province. A local investigation by IICE led to a search warrant that was executed on a Gull Island residence in July of 2020.
Fahey is now charged with the following criminal offences:
• Possession of Child Pornography
• Transmission of Child Pornography
• Making Sexually Explicit Material Available to a Child
• Luring a Child (x2)
• Indecent Act (exposure)
• Extortion (x2)
• Invitation to Sexual Touching
Fahey was released from custody on conditions designed to protect the general public and was scheduled to appear in court on June 16, 2021.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to exercise proper supervision of children while online and to foster regular discussions with their children about online safety.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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