17 more charges for Edmonton man accused of luring teenage girls online, sexually assaulting them
Posted December 18, 2025 11:59 am.
Last Updated December 18, 2025 9:10 pm.
An Edmonton man accused earlier this year of multiple child exploitation offences is facing 17 additional charges.
The 36-year-old was first arrested April 23 after allegedly luring two Edmonton-area teenage girls online before meeting them in person. Police say one of the victims was sexually assaulted.
BACKGROUND: Edmonton man charged with alleged child luring, sexual assault
ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit says since then, a forensic analysis of the man’s seized devices led investigators to identify four additional victims – aged 14 to 17.
“The level of manipulation, of targeting specific people, it would be very difficult as a young person to be able to identify that I am a target of a crime right now rather than, it’s that slow grooming process,” said Staff Sgt. Alison Church with ICE.
“The strength that it takes to come forward in an investigation like this. For them to know that , they are not in trouble. That this wasn’t their fault.”
The latest charges against Heman Palani include child luring; obtaining sexual services from a person under 18; sexual assault; and possessing and making child sexual abuse and exploitation material.
The allegations have not been tested in court.
Authorities say the accused also went by the name Zane and Hemi. He reportedly used several aliases online, including ‘itsz-ariel’, ‘lookn4sugarbabe’, ‘rayaplz5minutes’, ‘sugaring4ababy’, ‘21RaysofSun’, ‘fennecfox7830’ in addition to ‘hermesthefox’ and ‘fockxindahenhouse’.
Palani is being held in custody while he awaits his next scheduled court appearance on Friday.
Church is asking “anybody that may recognize him or may have been victimized by him” to come forward.
