

Codi Wilson, CP24.com





Toronto police have arrested three men who investigators say allegedly forced a 15-year-old B.C. girl into the sex trade.

The teenage girl had travelled from British Columbia to Ontario to visit family members in September, 2015 and during her stay, police say she was introduced to a man.

They exchanged numbers and investigators say that in late November, the man messaged her asking if she wanted to go out.

Police say the man along with another man picked her up and the three of them went out.

According to investigators, the men supplied the girl with a large amount of alcohol and drugs and she was taken to a Toronto hotel.

There, police say she was told she had to pay off the cost of the transportation to Toronto and the cost of the hotel room.

Photos were taken of the girl in various stages of undress and posed to backpages.com, where her sexual services were advertised, police say.

She was told, police say, what to charge her clients for specific sexual acts.

The men were aware that the girl was only 15, police added.

Investigators said the girl was forced to have sex with clients and turn over all the money she had been paid.

She was forced, police say, to work over a three-week period at hotels in Oshawa, Toronto, and Niagara Falls and the men allegedly made her have sex with ten or more clients on a daily basis.

During one stay at a hotel in Oshawa, the girl was kicked out of the room and police say the suspects allegedly told her she would have to work more to pay for the inconvenience of being forced to leave the hotel.

A third man, police say, was hired to book hotel rooms for the girl and her clients.

On Dec. 17, the girl was able to make a call to police.

A police investigation into the incident led to the arrest of three men between June 2 and June 6.

Police say 20-year-old Toronto resident Ahmadu Ahmed is facing six charges including trafficking in persons under 18 years, material benefit from sexual services, and procuring a person under 18 years.

Additionally, 20-year-old Maher Saleh, of Toronto, is facing six charges including advertising another person’s sexual services, trafficking in persons by exercising control and mater benefit- under 18 years.

A third man, 19-year-old Toronto resident Jerome Laing, faces three charges including trafficking in persons under 18, receiving material benefit from sexual services and receiving material benefit under 18.

Police say they are concerned there could be more victims and encourage anyone who may have been victimized to contact police at 416-808-7474 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS.