Man charged with human trafficking after being arrested in East Toronto; police concerned there may be more victims

A 22-year-old man was arrested in the Victoria Park and Danforth avenues area in connection with a Toronto Police Service investigation into an alleged incident of human trafficking investigation.

The man was arrested on Nov. 10 after police began their investigation earlier this month.

According to police, the female victim met a man after she moved to Ontario. Through a “combination of deception, coercion and physical violence, the female victim was sex trafficked in Toronto for approximately five months,” police alleged in a Nov. 17 news release.

The money earned throughout the trafficking period was turned over to a man, police alleged.

Toronto resident Leighton Keen Junior Whitfield, also known as “2C”, is facing a number of charges including trafficking a person by recruiting, obtaining financial/material benefit by trafficking a person over the age of 18, four counts of assault, two counts of assault by choking, and assault with a weapon.

Police are concerned there may be more victims and have released an image of the accused.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-4838 or humantrafficking@torontopolice.on.ca, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477 or online at https://www.222tips.com

In the Nov. 17 news release, Toronto police said:

“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 Unit of Sex Crimes is dedicated to investigating these crimes against vulnerable members of society.

“Police would like to encourage all affected individuals to come forward and report human trafficking occurrences to the police. We want to ensure everyone has access to support services and an exit strategy, regardless of their decision to proceed criminally.”

For more information, please go to the Toronto police Sex Crimes Unit at https://www.tps.ca/organizational-chart/specialized-operations-command/detective-operations/investigative-services/sex-crimes/