In a significant breakthrough, the Halton Police have laid charges in connection with an online extortion operation targeting an adult male victim. The investigation, which spanned over eight months, culminated in the arrest of the prime suspect with the aid of Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigators from the Drumheller detachment.

The ordeal began in December 2022 when law enforcement received a tip about a suspect exploiting various social media platforms to coerce a victim into financial submission. The suspect, having compromising images of the victim, engaged in a calculated scheme to extract money under the threat of disseminating these private images online.

The eight-month investigation led authorities to pinpoint the suspect's location within the confines of the Province of Alberta. Working closely with investigators from the RCMP's Drumheller detachment, the Halton Police successfully apprehended Brandon Bulechowsky, a 25-year-old resident of Drumheller, Alberta, on August 16, 2023.

Bulechowsky faces a series of charges, including extortion, possession of property obtained by crime, and failure to comply with probation. Following his arrest, Bulechowsky was subsequently released on an undertaking.

Law enforcement officials suspect that Bulechowsky's reach may extend to other victims. They urge anyone with pertinent information or who may have fallen victim to his extortion tactics to come forward and assist with the ongoing investigation.

Laura Steiner, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Milton Reporter, Milton Reporter