Maryborough, Queensland, February 5, 2026 — Man Charged with 596 Online Child Exploitatio bbnnnn Offenses
en01.web.id – Australia. A 27-year-old man, Ethan Mitch Burns‑Dederer, has been officially charged on February 5, 2026, with 596 criminal counts related to online child exploitation, including grooming, production of child exploitation material, and involvement in sexual activities with minors via digital communication platforms. The case is considered one of the largest online child exploitation investigations in Australia.
The investigation, called Operation Xray Wick, began in February 2025 when officers from the Queensland Police Service (QPS) executed a search at Burns‑Dederer’s home on Montague Street in Maryborough, Queensland, approximately 250 kilometers north of Brisbane. During the raid, police seized multiple electronic devices containing more than 23,000 images and videos depicting child exploitation, believed to involve hundreds of victims in Australia and internationally. The suspect has remained in Queensland custody since his arrest, without bail.
Detective Acting Chief Superintendent Denzil Clark, head of Crime Command, Queensland Police Service, stated:
"On these devices, thousands of materials depicting children being exploited were found. Due to the volume of material, identifying victims required extensive time and collaboration with national and international digital forensic teams."
Police reported that Burns‑Dederer allegedly created multiple fake profiles on social media and popular online games, including Snapchat, Instagram, Fortnite, and Roblox, to contact children. Most identified victims were aged between 7 and 15 years, with some material showing children as young as 5 years old.
Clark added:
"We allege that this man actively targeted children through social media and gaming platforms. We are seeing an increase in incidents where children are groomed, coerced, or threatened to create and share explicit images and videos of themselves."
Operation Xray Wick has so far successfully identified 360 of the estimated 459 victims, spread across Australia and more than a dozen other countries. The investigation continues with the support of digital forensic units and international law enforcement agencies to ensure all victims are identified and provided with appropriate support.
Burns‑Dederer faces:
- 244 counts of producing child exploitation material through communication services
- 163 counts of using communication services to obtain material from children under 16
- 87 counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child via communication services
The suspect was arrested at his Maryborough residence in February 2025 and has been held in Queensland custody since, without bail. His case was mentioned again at Brisbane Magistrates Court on February 5, 2026, with further proceedings scheduled for formal trial.
Clark warned the public:
"Parents and guardians must continue to monitor children’s digital activity and report any suspicious behavior or suspected exploitation to authorities immediately. The trauma experienced by these victims is severe, and efforts to protect them must be continuously strengthened."
This case serves as a stark reminder of the serious threat of online sexual exploitation of children and underscores the necessity of global cooperation to combat and prevent such crimes through technology.
Tim Redaksi
(rd/ks/jk)