Arrest made in Human Trafficking Investigation,
Sean Jason Ross, 31

Broadcast time: 14:45
Date: Thursday, May 6, 2021
Unit: Sex Crimes
Phone: 416-808-7474
Case #: 2020-987078


The Toronto Police Service would like to make the public aware of an arrest in a Human Trafficking investigation which commenced in May 2020.

It is alleged that:

- a man recruited and trafficked an underaged girl for sexual services throughout Toronto

- the man manipulated the girl to have sex with men for money

- the girl was forced to turn over any money she earned to the man

- the girl escaped from the man and contacted police

On Tuesday April 15, 2021, Sean Jason Ross, 31, of Toronto, was arrested. He is charged with:

1. Trafficking In Persons Under 18 Years
2. Procuring Person Under 18 Years
3. Possession of a Weapon
4. Utter Threat of Bodily Harm
5. Exercising Control Over Person Under 18 Years
6. Advertise Another Person's Sexual Services
7. Material Benefit From Sexual Services
8. Assault
9. Utter Threat of Bodily Harm

He appeared in court at Old City Hall on Wednesday, April 28, 2021.

Investigators are concerned there may be other victims and as well as witnesses, and are appealing to them to come forward.



Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7474, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), or Leave A Tip on Facebook. Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.


A sexual assault is any form of unwanted sexual contact. It includes, but is not limited to, kissing, grabbing, oral sex and penetration. To learn more about sexual assault, including how to report a sexual assault, please visit our Sex Crimes website.


Human Trafficking means every person who recruits, transports, transfers, receives, holds, conceals or harbours a person, or exercises control, direction or influence over the movements of a person, for the purpose of exploiting them or facilitating their exploitation, for a sexual purpose or a forced labour purpose. Victims can be men, women or children; can be Canadian citizens; and can be moved across local, provincial or national borders. They can be coerced through violence or the threat of violence against family and friends. The Human Trafficking Enforcement Team of Sex Crimes is dedicated to investigating these crimes against vulnerable members of society. For more information, please visit the Sex Crimes website.

Police would like to 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.


For more news, visit TPSnews.ca

---

Constable Jenifferjit Sidhu, Corporate Communications, for Detective Constable George Jiri, Sex Crimes – Human Trafficking Enforcement Team