Man charged in downtown Toronto human trafficking investigation
Matthew Jeremy Ham, 27, has been arrested and charged in connection with a human trafficking investigation. (TPS photo)
A 27-year-old man is facing several charges after a woman was allegedly recruited and exploited for sexual services in downtown Toronto.
Toronto police said that its Human Trafficking Unit launched an investigation after responding to a call around 9 p.m. on May 9 for unknown trouble in the Entertainment District, near King and Bathurst Streets.
Investigators alleged that a woman in her 20s was recruited by a man to “provide sexual services for his escort agency.”
They said that the suspect handled the booking and advertising of her sexual services and exploited the woman “for the purpose of his material benefit and used physical violence against her.”
On May 9, Matthew Jeremy Ham, 27, was arrested and charged with trafficking in persons, material benefit from sexual services, procuring/exercising control, financial benefit trafficking persons over 18, advertising another person's sexual services, and assault.
He had a May 10 bail hearing.
Police believe that there may be more victims and have released an image of the accused. They are also encouraging anyone who has fallen victim to human trafficking to come forward and report it to the police.
”We want to ensure everyone has access to support services and an exit strategy, regardless of their decision to proceed criminally,” Toronto police said in a news release.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact police at 416-808-4838 or humantrafficking@torontopolice.on.ca, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477 (TIPS) or www.222tips.com.
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