An Edmonton man already facing child luring and child sexual abuse and exploitation material (CSAEM) charges now faces 17 additional offences, police announced Thursday.Heman Palani, 36, was charged December 4, following a joint investigation by ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit and the Edmonton Police Service Child Protection Section. He was first arrested in April 2025.Forensic analysis of Palani’s seized devices revealed four new victims, all aged 14 to 17, bringing the total known victims to six. Investigators say Palani targeted teen girls in Edmonton and surrounding areas via social media before meeting them in person.“There is incredible strength and bravery in each of these girls who chose to come forward and share their stories with police and the team at the Zebra Child and Youth Advocacy Centre, who are continuing to offer supports and resources,” said Staff Sgt. Alison Church of ALERT ICE.The additional charges against Palani include four counts of child luring, four counts of obtaining sexual services from a person under 18, three counts each of possession and making of CSAEM, one count of sexual assault, and two counts of failing to report to probation..Investigators continue to identify and speak with potential victims and witnesses. Palani reportedly used multiple aliases online across various social media platforms, including ‘itsz-ariel,’ ‘lookn4sugarbabe,’ ‘rayaplz5minutes,’ ‘sugaring4ababy,’ ‘21RaysofSun,’ ‘fennecfox7830,’ as well as ‘hermesthefox’ and ‘fockxindahenhouse.’ He also used the names ‘Zane’ and ‘Hemi.’Palani remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court Friday. Anyone with information is urged to contact Edmonton police at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone, or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.ALERT, funded by the Alberta government, is a provincial law enforcement collaboration focused on combating serious crime, including child exploitation.
