TORONTO -- A Toronto hairdresser previously convicted in a child sexual abuse investigation is now facing additional charges after a second victim came forward.
An investigation began in 2013 after an 11-year-old boy reported that a man, who had come to a home in the High Park area to cut his hair, had sexually assaulted him.
Police say that a suspect identified as Jorge Nieto Zelaya, who was 45 years old at the time, was “immediately arrested” and charged with four counts of sexual assault, four counts of sexual interference, two counts of invitation to sexual touching and exposure to a person under the age of 16 years.
In 2015, Zelaya was convicted on four counts and was sentenced to 12 months to be served concurrently, police said.
More than five years later, another victim came forward to police.
The victim, police say, alleged that between 2011 and 2015 he was sexually assaulted on numerous occasions by a man cutting his hair.
The incidents took place in the area of Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue, as well as at 110 Wellesley Street.
Zelaya, who is now 53 years old, was taken into custody on March 1, 2021 and charged with sexual assault, exposing genitals to a person under 16 years of age for sexual purpose, invitation to sexual touching, sexual interference and two counts of failing to comply with a release order.
The new charges have not been proven in court.
Zelaya was released on bail and is scheduled to appear in court on April 16.
Police say they believe there may be other victims and that Zelaya is known to have worked for numerous hair salons in Toronto and Windsor, including the following:
- Morpheus Salon, 105 Adelaide Street West, Toronto (2013)
- Sabin Salon, 3100 Howard Avenue, Windsor (2015 – 2020)
- La Vida Salon, 1580 Ouellette Avenue, Windsor (2015 -2020)
-His apartment at 110 Wellesley Street
Zelaya would also occasionally cut hair at clients’ homes in Toronto, police say.
Anyone with information is being asked to contact investigators at 416-808-2922 or reach out to Crime Stoppers anonymously.