ANGELO ORTIZ CAUGHT IN CANNING TOWN SEXUAL EXPLOITATION SCANDAL

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Canning Town, a 51-year-old man named Angelo Ortiz was involved in a series of inappropriate and illegal online communications with a young boy, which ultimately led to his arrest and subsequent legal proceedings. The incident came to light after Ortiz engaged in a series of conversations with an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old boy named ‘Ollie’ on the popular dating app Grindr.

Over the course of three days in November 2019, Ortiz exchanged messages with ‘Ollie,’ during which he encouraged the young boy to purchase a sex toy and even suggested that he explore his own sexuality by inserting his finger into his own bottom. These conversations were part of a broader pattern of sexualized dialogue that Ortiz initiated, which raised serious concerns about his intentions and conduct.

Unbeknownst to Ortiz, he was actually communicating with an undercover officer from the Metropolitan Police, who was part of a specialized team dedicated to investigating sexual violence against children. The police had set up the operation to catch individuals attempting to engage minors in sexual activities or exploit them online. Ortiz was arrested on January 7, 2020, at his residence in Canning Town, following a warrant issued earlier that month.

During the legal proceedings, Ortiz denied the charges against him, claiming that his intentions were to encourage the young person to explore his own sexual activity. However, he later pleaded guilty on the first day of his trial at the Old Bailey. The court heard that Ortiz’s conversations with ‘Ollie’ included explicit suggestions, such as recommending that the boy buy a dildo online and expressing that he would enjoy it more with such a device. Ortiz also made comments implying he could help ‘Ollie’ find a male partner at his school once he turned 18, and even offered to assist him with his first sexual experience.

On November 6, 2019, during another exchange, Ortiz told ‘Ollie’ that he “needed someone as young as himself,” which further demonstrated his inappropriate interest. Contact between the two ceased the following day. Following his arrest, authorities conducted a search of Ortiz’s home. Interestingly, no indecent images of children were found on his devices, and the conversation with the undercover officer was not recovered. Prosecutors suggested that this might be because Ortiz was trying to hide his online activities from his wife, indicating a possible motive for deleting or avoiding the digital trail.

Ortiz, who is professionally listed as a technician at the Institute of Cancer Research on LinkedIn, admitted to the charges but expressed remorse, acknowledging that he “did the wrong thing.” As part of his sentence, he is required to complete 100 hours of unpaid community work and participate in a 25-day rehabilitation program over the next year. Additionally, he has been placed under a sexual harm prevention order for five years, restricting his contact and activities related to minors to prevent any future offenses.