SELECTED CASE LAW
ONTARIO:
In 2018 ONSC 471, Mr. E, a 27-year-old man, was convicted of several charges, including trafficking drugs, careless storage of a firearm, trafficking and assaulting two young women, criminally harassing one of them, and breaching a non-communication order related to the other.
Both Ms. J and Ms. B had approached Mr. E at different times to begin working in the sex trade. Ms. J was 18 at the time she approached him and Ms. B was 19. Ms. J provided sexual services under Mr. E’s control and direction for approximately three years. During this time Mr. E physically assaulted her several times and threatened to kill her. He also controlled her rates and services, kept tabs on her through text message, and kept all of her earnings. At one-point Ms. J left Mr. E, he texted and called her relentlessly. He once called and texted her 137 times in a 32-minute period. He also posted fake escort ads using her real photo and phone number and included a warning that Ms. J had a sexually transmitted infection in the ad. This caused Ms. J to call the police and report him for harassment.
Ms. B provided sexual services under Mr. E’s control and direction, also dictating her location, some of her service hours, and keeping all of her earnings for three months. He kept tabs on Ms. B’s hours and earnings through text messages.
He was acquitted of procuring the young women and several other charges related to the fire-arm were conditionally stayed. He was convicted of exploitation, assault, and criminal harassment against Ms. J. He was also convicted of drug trafficking and possessing a loaded, prohibited firearm without a licence.
Mr. E was sentenced to 10 years’ incarceration, with additional orders including, registering as a sex offender for life, a weapons prohibition for life, a DNA order, and a no contact order and order to keep at least 500 metres distance from Ms. J and Ms. B.
Also see: 2018 ONSC 471 (Sentencing); 2017 ONSC 7285 (Certiorari application); 2017 ONSC 4028 (Trial); 2017 ONSC 3141 (Search and seizure).
Criminal Offence(s): Criminal Harassment