3rd person arrested in human trafficking investigation
Posted October 3, 2012 1:48 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Toronto police have arrested a third person accused of human trafficking and forcing two young teens to work as prostitutes.
Officers say the two girls, aged 14 and 15, were taken from a group home northwest of Toronto and brought to the Sherbourne Street area as prostitutes.
On Tuesday afternoon, police arrested Alejandro Rengifo, 18, and charged him with two counts each of procuring a person to become a prostitute, exercising control and trafficking in persons.
The first suspect, a 16-year-old young offender, was arrested on Sept. 8, hours after police first learned of the allegations. On top of the trafficking and prostitution charges, she faces two counts threatening damage and two counts of threatening bodily harm.
On Sept. 9, police arrested and charged Anthony Merchan, 21.
Rengifo, who lives in Toronto, was due to appear in a Finch Avenue West court on Wednesday morning.
