One Toronto police officer is facing charges in connection to a sex trafficking investigation. Toronto Police Services has reported on Friday that one of their men was charged with sexual exploitation of a 16-year-old girl. He was just one of the 10 people that are facing charges. The cop is being accused of purchasing sexual services from the underage girl.
According to a TPS news release, officers made the discovery while conducting a sex trafficking investigation near the area of Pape and Cosburn. Police first began looking into the matter back in November.
“Between March and May 2020, investigators launched Project ‘One Six’ in an effort to identify, locate and arrest those who had purchased sexual services from the girl,” reada statement from TPS. A total of 10 men were charged with obtaining sexual services for consideration from people under 18 years of age.
One of those men was later identified as a Toronto Police Service officer.
Constable Peter Roberts, 49, of Toronto, was arrested on March 13, 2020.
Police revealed in their report that Roberts has 11 years of experience on the force and was recently assigned to 51 Division.
He is currently suspended with pay and is scheduled to appear in court on June 24.
The other nine men who were charged range between the ages of 19 and 45 and are all being charged with "obtaining sexual services for consideration from persons under 18 years of age."
Anyone with information is being asked to contact police at 416-808-7474, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).
However, this isn't the only sex trafficking incident reported in the GTA.
Police arrested and charged two brothers from Quebec, ages 21 and 22.
The incident led to police discovering two women, who were later escorted to safety.