Members of the Toronto Police Service Human Trafficking Enforcement Team started an investigation into an alleged Human Trafficking occurrence.
It is alleged that:
- between Monday, January 8, 2018 and Saturday, February 10, 2018, two men forced a woman, 19, into the sex trade
- during this time, the men took photographs of her in various degrees of undress, created ads for sexual services, and posted them on backpages.com
- she was taken to various jurisdictions including Toronto, Peel, Durham and York Region, where she stayed in various Airbnb rentals and was forced to provide sexual services to clients
- the men took her identification and she was forced to turn over all the money she earned to them
It is further alleged that:
- on Monday, February 5, 2018, the men were with her at the
Idlewood Inn, 4212 Kingston Road in Toronto
- they got into a verbal argument and she told them that she no longer wanted to be an escort
- one of the men provided the other man with a .45 calibre semi-automatic handgun
- he pointed the firearm at her face and she attempted to push the firearm away, fearing she would be shot
- the man became angry and fired a shot, striking her in the buttocks area
- after the shooting, the men took her from the hotel room and drove her to an unknown address in the Toronto area
It is further alleged that:
- between Monday, February 5, 2018, and Saturday, February 10, 2018, the men transported her to several addresses in the GTA, and refused to seek medical attention for her gunshot wound
- she was able to escape and attended a local hospital
Members of the Human Trafficking Enforcement Team started an investigation into the occurrence.
On Tuesday, February 20, 2018, members of the Human Trafficking Enforcement Team located Tyrel McLean, 18, in Hamilton and arrested him.
It is alleged that:
- during the search, a loaded .45 calibre semi-automatic handgun was found on his person
- a large quantity of money and ammunition was seized
Tyrel McLean, 18, of Hamilton, was charged with:
1) Trafficking in Persons
2) Financial Material Benefit from Trafficking
3) Withhold / Destroy Identification
4) Procuring / Recruit Person to provide Sexual Services
5) two counts of Material Benefit
6) Advertise Sexual Services
7) two counts of Point Firearm
8) Possess Weapon for committing an Offence
9) Use Firearm in the commission of an Offence
10) Discharge Firearm with intent to Wound or Endanger Life
11) Careless Use of a Firearm
12) Aggravated Assault
13) two counts of Forcible Confinement
14) two counts of Possess loaded regulated Firearm
15) two counts of Possess Firearm without Registration Certificate
16) two counts of Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm
17) two counts of Careless use of a Firearm
18) Threatening Death
19) two counts of Possession of a Firearm in a Motor Vehicle
20) Possess Prohibited / Restricted Weapon or Prohibited Device Knowing No Authority
21) Possession of Proceeds of Crime over $5000.00
On Tuesday, February 20, 2018, members of the Human Trafficking Enforcement Team and the Emergency Task Force executed a Criminal Code search warrant in Brampton.
It is alleged that:
- during the subsequent search of a vehicle, a loaded 9mm semi-automatic handgun was located
- a large quantity of money and ammunition was seized
Dante Thaxter, 18, of Peel Region, was charged with:
1) Trafficking in Persons
2) Financial Material Benefit from Trafficking
3) Withhold / Destroy Identification
4) Procuring/Recruit Person to provide Sexual Services
5) two counts of Material Benefit
6) Advertise Sexual Services
7) two counts of Point Firearm
8) Possess Weapon for committing an Offence
9) Use Firearm in the commission of an Offence
10) Discharge Firearm with intent to Wound or Endanger Life
11) Careless Use of a Firearm
12) Aggravated Assault
13) two counts of Forcible Confinement
14) two counts of Possess loaded regulated Firearm
15) two counts of Possess Firearm without Registration Certificate
16) two counts of Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm
17) two counts of Careless use of a Firearm
18) Threatening Death
19) two counts of Possession of a Firearm in a Motor Vehicle
20) Possess Prohibited / Restricted Weapon or Prohibited Device Knowing No Authority
21) Possession of Proceeds of Crime over $5000.00
Both men appeared in court at 1911 Eglinton Avenue East on Wednesday, February 21, 2018, in room 412.
These arrests were successful with the assistance of the Toronto Police Service 43 Division Major Crime and Emergency Task Force, Peel Regional Police Vice Unit, and Hamilton Police Service Tactical Unit.
On Thursday, February 22, 2018, Detective Sergeant Nunzio Tramontozzi held a news conference which can be watched on
YouTube.
Police are concerned there may be other victims.
Photographs of both men have been released.
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, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), or
Leave A Tip on Facebook. 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.
For more news, visit
TPSnews.ca