22 men arrested for soliciting sex from underage girls in York Region
Police file more than 65 charges in total after enforcement blitz tied to long-term investigation
Twenty-two GTA men face charges after York Regional Police say they were trying to pay to have sex with underage girls.
Police said investigators launched an enforcement blitz from Nov. 2-5 as part of a larger operation — Project Raphael — and wound up identifying 22 men at York region hotels. Police allege all of the men attended the hotels hoping to have sex with girls under the age of 18 who were working as prostitutes.
In a news release, York Regional Police said it is "committed to investigating all prostitution offences committed against underage girls."
The police force also said the majority of underage girls working in the sex trade are doing so against their will and often become the victims of crime like violence, coercion or trickery.
Police said more than 65 charges were laid in the investigation and that if convicted, the suspects could face between 90 days to 10 years in jail.
The charges the suspects face include:
- Luring a child for the purpose of obtaining sexual services for consideration from a person under 18.
- Agreement or arrangement to obtain sexual services for consideration from a person under 18.
- Obtaining sexual services for consideration from a person under 18 years.
Anyone with further information about the arrests is asked to contact York Regional Police directly or Crime Stoppers anonymously.