Joseph Demedeiros charged with criminal harassment in Hamilton

Commencing in June of 2010 Police across Southern Ontario began receiving similar reports of females receiving phone calls from an unknown male.

The stranger would ask for the females by name and engage them in conversation. The conversation would quickly become either violent or sexually explicit in nature.

The Serial Predator Crime Unit with the Ministry of Community Safety & Correctional Services identified these incidents as troubling and believed them to be escalating in frequency and in the content of the conversations. The suspect was divulging details to the victims which caused the victims to fear that they were being stalked and other members of their families may be at risk.

A Joint investigation was conducted under the guidance of the Serial Predator Crime Unit. The involved Police Agencies were London Police Service, Niagara Regional Police Service, Hamilton Police Service, Halton Regional Police Service, Durham Regional Police Service and York Regional Police Service. In total 29 different female victims were identified and each of the Agencies assisted in the investigation.

On November 12th 2010, Joseph DEMEDEIROS, 45 yrs. of Hamilton was arrested and charged with 29 counts of Criminal Harassment. He will appear at the John Sopinka Court House at 45 Main Street East, Hamilton for a first appearance this morning.

Police continue to investigate the matter and at this point have not linked the disturbing phone calls to any further escalation in behaviour such as incidents of sexual assault.

Any person with information is asked to contact the Criminal Investigation Branch of their local Police Service.