Toronto man arrested for allegedly grooming, trafficking woman in GTA
Posted July 24, 2024 12:35 pm.
A Toronto man has been arrested following an investigation into human trafficking that took place between 2019 and 2020 throughout the Greater Toronto and Southwestern Ontario areas.
The investigation that began in May uncovered that a 21-year-old woman was allegedly groomed and recruited into the sex trade as an escort.
Police say she was controlled and exploited through physical violence, coercion, threats of violence, manipulation and deception. The money she earned was turned over to the accused.
Abubakar Omar Sharif, 37, was arrested on July 24.
He is facing 11 charges:
- Trafficking in persons
- Material benefit trafficking person over 18
- Procuring/exercising control
- Material benefit from sexual services
- Advertising another person’s sexual services
- Publish intimate image without consent
- Assault
- Assault by choking
- Sexual assault
- Uttering death threat
- Traffic in Schedule I substance – Cocaine
