Police have arrested an individual for human trafficking and child sexual abuse material offences.
The investigation, named Project Shrewsbury, began in August 2024, when members from Greater Sudbury Police and Kingston Police received information of a male recruiting and transporting two young females from their jurisdictions for the purpose of sex trafficking.
Due to the human trafficking element, the investigation was coordinated through the OPP Provincial Human Trafficking Intelligence-led Joint Forces Strategy. Peel Regional Police became involved when it was identified that the offences against the females took place in the Greater Toronto Area.
On November 20, 2024, members of the OPP arrested 37-year-old Sheldon Lester Saunders of Scarborough, and have charged him with the following Criminal Code offences:
- Assault Causing Bodily Harm
- Advertising Sexual Services
- Procuring under 18 years
- Material Benefit Resulting from Trafficking in Persons
- Material Benefit from Sexual Services Received from Person under 18 years
- Traffic in Persons under 18 years of age1
- Disobey Court Order
- Makes, Prints or Publishes any Child Pornography
- Possession of Child Pornography
- Imports, Distributes or Sells any Child Pornography
- Assaul
The accused remains in custody and is scheduled to appear on December 16, 2024 at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton.
The victims were taken to places of safety and provided support services. Police believe there may be additional victims and ask that anyone who has information come forward to their local police. A video related to the case is located here: https://youtu.be/Xr68ijQGQMg
Additional support was provided by the OPP Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement Squad and IJFS members from Toronto Police Service, York Regional Police and Victim Services of Kingston and Frontenac.
The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking has resources available for victims and survivors of human trafficking on their website at canadiancentretoendhumantrafficking.ca. A national hotline is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-833-900-1010.
