PETERBOROUGH-Kingston Police have charged three young men in relation to a human trafficking ring that is believed to have been operating out of Peterborough and at least four other cities.
A resident tipped off the police on September 26, 2017 after witnessing the accused interacting with the girls at a motel in Kingston and became concerned for their welfare. The witness called police and patrol officers along with members of the Street Crime Unit responded to investigate. Officers believed the youngest victim was a minor so officers took her to a place of safety to confirm her true age and identity. She was found to be a 14-year-old Hamilton youth. The other two females were found to be an 18-year-old St. Catherine’s woman and 20-year-old woman from Woodstock area.
Kingston police launched an investigation into human trafficking and say they learned the accused parties had recruited the 14-year-old in July 2017 with promises of a lavish lifestyle. The accused parties allegedly took the 14-year-old along with the other two women to various hotels in London, Mississauga, Toronto, Guelph, and Peterborough where they prostituted the girls using local ads. The girls were controlled through intimidation and financial dependence as the accused kept the money and only doled out small increments according to police.
An 18-year-old Brampton man, a 20-year-old Mississauga man and an 18-year-old man also from Mississauga have been charged jointly with procuring a minor, two counts of procuring, trafficking a minor, two counts of trafficking persons, advertising sexual services, material benefit trafficking a minor, and material benefit trafficking persons.
The 18-year-old Brampton man was additionally charged with criminal harassment by threatening conduct, kidnapping, sexual interference, and sexual assault,
The 18-year-old Mississauga man was additionally charged with three counts of breach recognizance.
