Toronto man faces 27 charges in human trafficking case spanning Ontario, B.C.
Posted June 24, 2022 6:28 am.
Last Updated June 24, 2022 6:33 am.
A Toronto man is facing nearly 30 charges in a human trafficking case involving a young victim police say was sex trafficked in British Columbia and Ontario for almost a year.
Toronto police say the Human Trafficking Enforcement Team and the Children At Risk of Exploitation (C.A.R.E.) team began an investigation in April 2022.
Authorities say a teenage girl from Ontario was groomed over social media and flown to B.C., where she was forced into performing sex work in both provinces between August 2021 and April 2022.
On Thursday, police arrested a 21-year-old man in Toronto’s east end, near Victoria Park Avenue and O’Connor Drive.
Andrew “Hot Boy Ryda” Pothiers-Grant is charged with 27 counts, including assault, making child pornography, and multiple trafficking, drug and weapons offences.
Const. Laura Brabant says investigators are concerned there may be more victims and 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,” Brabant said as part of a news release.
