A Toronto man who allegedly sex trafficked two underage girls across Ontario is facing charges following a multi-jurisdictional police investigation.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) announced the results of “Project Shrewsbury” on Wednesday and said police in Sudbury and Kingston began investigating in August.
It’s alleged that those two police services received information that month about a male suspect who was “recruiting and transporting two young females” from their jurisdictions for the purpose of sex trafficking.
The OPP’s Provincial Human Trafficking Intelligence-led Joint Forces Strategy (IJFS) led the investigation and Peel Regional Police also became involved after police determined the alleged offences against the victims took place somewhere in the Greater Toronto Area.
As a result of the months-long investigation, the OPP said, police arrested and charged 37-year-old Toronto resident Sheldon Lester Saunders on Nov. 20. He’s facing 11 charges, including assault causing bodily harm, advertising sexual services, procuring under 18 years and possession of child pornography.
“The victims are now safe and receiving support. We believe there may be more victims,” Acting Det. Insp. Addison Hunter said in a video posted on social media on Wednesday.
The ages of the victims were not released and it is unclear where exactly the alleged offences occurred.
Saunders is set to appear in a Brampton courtroom on Dec. 16.
OPP is asking anyone with information related to the investigation to contact their local police service.