Gomtolpios: Waterloo elementary school principal charged in online sexual exploitation investigation

KITCHENER — The principal of a Waterloo elementary school allegedly used an online website and social media to contact teenaged girls, leading to an arrest in an investigation involving three separate police forces.

The joint investigation involving London police, Toronto police and Waterloo Regional Police started in February 2023.

During the investigation, a 55-year-old man communicated with girls he believed to be under the age of 16 years old, sending sexually explicit messages and images.

Under the username “Sam” and “Chuck,” the man used an online website and the social media messaging app Snapchat to contact the girls.

On Thursday, the man had arranged to meet one of the teenaged girls. Police arrested him in Burlington and he was taken to London to be charged.

Phillip Sallewsky, a 55-year-old man from Kitchener, now faces 17 charges.

Sallewsky is a principal of Northlake Woods Public School, a school in the northwest end of Waterloo.

Waterloo Region District School Board spokesperson Estefania Brandenstein said the board is aware of the situation and cannot comment because the matter is before the courts.

“As per our process, the staff member has been assigned to home immediately, and as such, they are not able to attend WRDSB school properties or access WRDSB communication tools,” Brandenstein said in an email statement.

The charges against Sallewsky are:

Five counts of luring a person under 16 years of age by means of telecommunications

Two counts of invitation to sexual touching under 16 years of age

Sexual assault

Sexual interference with person under 16 years of age

Luring a person under 16 years of age by means of telecommunication

Three counts of transmit sexually explicit material to a person under 16 years of age

Luring a person under 18 years of age by means of telecommunication

Print/publish/possess to publish child pornography

Import/sell/distribute, etc. child pornography

Unlawfully possess child pornography

No one had physical injuries in connection to the investigation.

Cst. Sandasha Bough with London police said any other information about the investigation will be released through the court process.

The accused is scheduled to appear in a London court on May 11, 2023.

Anyone with information or who may have been a victim is asked to call their local police service. You can call Waterloo Regional Police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.