SELECTED CASE LAW
BRITISH COLUMBIA:
2015 BCSC 2055
In 2014 BCSC 1727, Mr. M, who was between 25 and 27 during the time of the offences, was convicted on more than 24 charges, most notably: human trafficking, sexual interference, sexual exploitation, and sexual assault. The case involved eleven complainants ages 14-19 at the time the activities took place. All offences occurred in Vancouver, Richmond and North Vancouver.
Mr. M took sexually explicit photographs of the complainants at different times and posted advertisements for their sexual services online from his cell phone and laptops. He coerced some of the younger complainants to use drugs to facilitate their sexual encounters, used violence and threats to coerce them, including hurting and threatening to hurt their pets, and encouraged them to lie to their families so that they would not know about their involvement with him. He travelled with a number of the complainants across British Columbia for the purpose of prostitution, and facilitated all of appointments through his cellular and computer devices. Mr. M told one victim that there was a tracking device on her cellphone that could be used to monitor her movement. Nearly all of the victims came from poor socioeconomic backgrounds and were subjected to a host of degrading and violent sexual behaviour at the hands of clients and M. One victim attempted suicide by jumping off of a balcony. Mr. M kept some or all of their earnings.
Police seized numerous laptops, Blackberries and iPhones, which contained data corroborating the allegations against Mr. M, many of which were found in the locations in which the offences occurred. The evidence at trial also included a number of online advertisements for the sexual services of the victims and Facebook messages between Mr. M and the victims. Expert evidence showed that although three Facebook accounts were used to send the messages to the victims, all were created and sent by the accused and login information from the victims was used to confirm that the accused had messaged them directly.
In 2015 BCSC 2055, Mr. M was sentenced to 23 years of incarceration. Ancillary orders included a lifetime weapons prohibition, a lifetime sexual offender registration, a no contact order for complainants and some others, a forfeiture of all items seized by the police, and a DNA order. Aggravating factors included the large number of girls that were exploited, some of which were exploited over a long period, the vulnerable circumstances the girls were in, and the fact that M felt entitled to and did have sex with the young women and girls he was exploiting.
Also see: 2013 BCSC 2398 (evidence); 2015 BCSC 2055 (Sentencing); 2014 BCSC 1727 (Trial); 2014 BCSC 261 (Application to quash counts in an indictment); 2013 BCSC 2398 (Evidence); 2013 BCSC 2399 (Application to admit videotaped statements).
Criminal Offence(s): Human Trafficking and Advertising Sexual Services, Sexual Exploitation, Sexual Assault