Two Clarington men among 12 charged in Durham child sexual exploitation investigation

Two Clarington men are among 12 people arrested and charged following a Durham Regional Police investigation targeting people allegedly seeking to purchase sexual services from someone they believed was 15 years old. Police said Project Firebird ran over 10 days in October 2026.

Samiullah Azizi, 29, and Devin Hill, 42, both of Clarington, each face three charges: luring a person for the purpose of obtaining sexual services under 18, obtaining sexual services under 18, and invitation to sexual touching under 16, police said.

Police said investigators placed an online advertisement offering sexual services from a person represented as being 15. Investigators allege that numerous individuals attempted to arrange meetings for sexual services with someone they believed was a minor. Police said the advertisement received more than 8,000 views.

The investigation resulted in 36 Criminal Code charges and one charge under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act against the 12 accused, police said. Each accused faces the same three Criminal Code charges listed against the Clarington men.

The other accused are from Ajax, Oshawa, Whitby, Scarborough, Markham, Simcoe and Brampton. Andre McGann, 43, of Scarborough, also faces a charge of possession of a Schedule 1 substance for the purpose of trafficking, according to police.