Human Trafficking Investigation, Three men and one woman arrested, Police concerned there may be more victims

Human Trafficking Investigation, Three men and one woman arrested, Police concerned there may be more victims

Tuesday, November 26, 2019 - 9:05 AM
Sex Crimes:  416-808-7474

The Toronto Police Service would like to make the public aware of arrests made in a Human Trafficking investigation.

It is alleged that:

- on Sunday, December 30, 2018, a 17-year-old girl met two men in the Yonge Street/Dundas Street East area

- the two men befriended the girl and gave her drugs and alcohol

- the two men took the girl to an address in Hamilton

- there, the girl was sexually assaulted by the two men

- the girl was then sexually assaulted by a third man

- the men then introduced the girl to a woman and she was forced into the sex trade

- photographs were taken of the girl in various stages of undress and posted on leolist.com, advertising her sexual services

- the first man controlled all the communications with the customers via text messages or phone calls, and the girl was told which sexual services she was to provide

- the first man made the girl provide sexual services to numerous clients that attended the address, as well as to himself, turning all the money over to him

- over the course of four days, the girl was forced to ingest a quantity of drugs, deprived of food and sleep, and was physically assaulted

On Thursday, January 3, 2019, the girl was able to escape and contact police.

On Wednesday, January 30, 2019, the Toronto Police Service Human Trafficking Enforcement Team located and arrested two of the men.

Charlton Sealy, 35, of no fixed address, identified as the 'second man', was charged with:

1. Sexual Assault
2. Trafficking in Persons Under 18 years by Recruiting Control
3. Financial/Material Benefit Trafficking Persons Under 18 years
4. Material Benefit from Sexual Services Provided by Person Under 18 years
5. Make Child Pornography
6. Possession of a Schedule I Substance
7. Possession of Child Pornography
8. Assault
9. Advertising Another Person's Sexual Services

Shabaka Reid, 36, of Hamilton, identified as the 'third man', was charged with:

1. Sexual Assault
2. Trafficking in Persons Under 18 years by Recruiting
3. Make Child Pornography
4. Financial/Material Benefit Person Under 18 years
5. Possession of a Schedule I Substance
6. Possession of Child Pornography

They both appeared in court on Thursday, January 31, 2019, at Old City Hall.

On Friday, February 15, 2019, the Human Trafficking Enforcement Team located and arrested Deanna Passera, 27, of no fixed address, identified as the 'woman'. She was charged with:

1. Trafficking in Persons Under 18 years by Exercising Control
2. Financial/Material Benefit from Trafficking in Persons Under 18 years
3. Publish Child Pornography
4. Possess Child Pornography
5. Make Child Pornography
6. Procuring - Person Under 18 years
7. Procuring/Exercise Control
8. Advertising Another Person’s Sexual Services

She appeared in court on Saturday, February 16, 2019, at Old City Hall.

On Monday, November 18, 2019, with the assistance of the Greater Sudbury Police Service, Troy Thornhill, 37, of Toronto, identified as "the first man", was located and arrested.

He was charged with:

1. Sexual Assault
2. Trafficking in Persons Under 18 Years by Recruiting
3. Financial/Material Benefit Trafficking Persons Under 18 Years
4. Material Benefit from Sexual Services Provided by Person Under 18 Years
5. Make Child Pornography
6. Possession of Child Pornography
7. Assault
8. Procuring Person Under 18 Years
9. Advertising Another Person's Sexual Services

He appeared in court on Tuesday, November 19, 2019, at Old City Hall, in courtroom 101.

Police are concerned there may be more victims.
Police would like to encourage all affected individuals to come forward and report Human Trafficking occurrences to police. We want to make sure that everyone has access to support services and an exit strategy, regardless of their decision to proceed criminally.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7474, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, online on our Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637). Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.

Human Trafficking means every person who recruits, transports, transfers, receives, holds, conceals or harbours a person, or exercises control, direction or influence over the movements of a person, for the purpose of exploiting them or facilitating their exploitation, for a sexual purpose or a forced labour purpose. Victims can be men, women or children; can be Canadian citizens; and can be moved across local, provincial or national borders. They can be coerced through violence or the threat of violence against family and friends. The Human Trafficking Enforcement Team of Sex Crimes is dedicated to investigating these crimes against vulnerable members of society. For more information, please visit the Sex Crimes website.

Constable Victor Kwong, Corporate Communications, for Acting Detective Sergeant David Correa, Sex Crimes, Human Trafficking Enforcement Team

Troy Thornhill, 37, (identified as the 'first man') Charged in Human Trafficking investigation

Charlton Sealy, (identified as the 'second man') Previously charged in Human Trafficking investigation

Skabaka Reid, (identified as the 'third man') Previously charged in Human Trafficking investigation

Deanna Passera, (identified as the 'woman') Previously charged in Human Trafficking investigation