The Toronto Police Service would like to make the public aware of an arrest in a Human Trafficking investigation.
It is alleged that:
- in October 2016, an 16-year-old girl was recruited and procured into the sex trade by a man
- the girl was coerced into the sex trade by means of the promise of making a lot of money
- during this time, the man controlled the girl through threats and intimidation
- the girl was taken to various hotels in Toronto where the man took photographs of her in various stages of undress and posted them on backpage.com, advertising her sexual services
- in November 2016, the girl attempted to flee from the man
- the man found the girl, stripped her of all her clothing, and assaulted her
- she was eventually able to escape and reported the incident to police
On Monday, February 20, 2017, Michael "Champagne" Okoaki, 26, of Toronto, was arrested by the Human Trafficking Enforcement Team. He is charged with:
1) Trafficking In Persons Under 18 - Exercise Control
2) Procuring Under 18
3) Material Benefit From Trafficking In Persons Under 18
4) Material Benefit From Sexual Services
5) Exercising Control
6) Advertise Another Person's Sexual Services
7) Possess Child Pornography
8) Distribute Child Pornography
9) Sexual Assault
10) Assault
11) Assault with a Weapon
12) Forcible Confinement
He appeared in court at 2201 Finch Avenue West on Tuesday, February 21, 2017, 10 a.m., courtroom 204.
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, 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.
Please download the Toronto Police Service Mobile App for iOS or Android.
For more news, visit TPSnews.ca.
It is alleged that:
- in October 2016, an 16-year-old girl was recruited and procured into the sex trade by a man
- the girl was coerced into the sex trade by means of the promise of making a lot of money
- during this time, the man controlled the girl through threats and intimidation
- the girl was taken to various hotels in Toronto where the man took photographs of her in various stages of undress and posted them on backpage.com, advertising her sexual services
- in November 2016, the girl attempted to flee from the man
- the man found the girl, stripped her of all her clothing, and assaulted her
- she was eventually able to escape and reported the incident to police
On Monday, February 20, 2017, Michael "Champagne" Okoaki, 26, of Toronto, was arrested by the Human Trafficking Enforcement Team. He is charged with:
1) Trafficking In Persons Under 18 - Exercise Control
2) Procuring Under 18
3) Material Benefit From Trafficking In Persons Under 18
4) Material Benefit From Sexual Services
5) Exercising Control
6) Advertise Another Person's Sexual Services
7) Possess Child Pornography
8) Distribute Child Pornography
9) Sexual Assault
10) Assault
11) Assault with a Weapon
12) Forcible Confinement
He appeared in court at 2201 Finch Avenue West on Tuesday, February 21, 2017, 10 a.m., courtroom 204.
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, 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.
Please download the Toronto Police Service Mobile App for iOS or Android.
For more news, visit TPSnews.ca.