Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Teen forced into sex trade and taken from Toronto to Hamilton

First Published:

A teenager has been rescued after she was taken from Toronto to Hamilton and forced into the sex trade.

Toronto police say a 17-year-old girl met two men in the area of Yonge and Dundas streets in Toronto on Dec. 30, 2018.

The men befriended the girl and took her to an address in Hamilton where she was sexually assaulted by the pair.

Police say the teen was then sexually assaulted by a third man. They say she was introduced to a woman and forced into the sex trade.

Investigators said photos were taken of the girl in various stages of undress and posted on a website, advertising her sexual services.

The girl was told to provide sexual services to numerous clients, and forced to turn over all the money she received.

Over the course of four days, the girl was drugged, deprived of food and sleep, and physically assaulted.

On Jan. 3, she was able to escape and contacted police.

Three of the suspects, identified by police as Charlton Sealy, 35, Shabaka Reid, 36, and Deanna Passera, 27, were arrested by the Toronto Police Service Human Trafficking Enforcement Team earlier this year.

They face a series of charges including sexual assault, make child pornography, and trafficking in persons under 18 years.

The fourth suspect, 37-year-old Troy Thornhill, was arrested on Nov. 18. He faces a slew of charges including assault, sexual assault, make child pornography and trafficking in persons under 18 years.

Police are concerned there may be more victims.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7474, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477.

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