Sex trafficker gets 3 years in prison, judge calls actions reprehensible

A 19-year-old woman was sentenced Monday to three years in prison after admitting to sex-trafficking charges involving two girls in the Moncton-area.

The 19-year-old, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty in February to five charges. She admitted recruiting and controlling the movement of two girls, advertising sexual services with them, and receiving a financial or other benefit from the commission of a crime in early April 2024.

Last week, Crown and defence lawyers jointly requested the sentence that Moncton provincial court Judge Claude Haché imposed on Monday morning.

"[Her] crimes were reprehensible," Haché said. 

"She manipulated and directed the victims to provide sexual services to unknown adults. They were in a strange city, far from home, under her influence and felt like they had no other choice than to do what they were instructed to do."

The 19-year-old told the court that she started doing sex work herself after her mother died. She was in her early teens and she didn't have a job. 

"I just needed a way to survive," she told the court from the prisoner's box Thursday.

She cannot be named because Haché issued a publication ban under a section of the Criminal Code about protecting "a justice system participant" in a case involving a criminal organization.

Crown prosecutor Marc-André Desjardins referred Thursday to the 19-year-old carrying out the crimes for the benefit of a criminal organization, though defence lawyer Daniel Gallant told the judge that wasn't part of what she was admitting.

Gallant said the woman, born in a another country, will face immigration consequences.

Went from victim to abuser

Gallant said that while trying to survive as a teen, she was taken advantage of by people who recruited her into the sex trade. He said she made a "seamless" transition from being a victim herself to victimizing others. 

"The line between being a victim and being an offender became blurry and she crossed it," Gallant said.

The judge said he hopes the sentencing ends the cycle of abuse.

Victims say lives upended

One of the two girls read a victim impact statement to the judge on Thursday. The girl said what happened changed her life, leaving her feeling angry, worthless and disgusting. She said she cries every night. 

"I want justice," she told the judge. 

The second girl provided a written victim impact statement that Haché referenced in his sentencing decision. The victim said she was left feeling helpless, that what happened strained her relationship with her family, and she hopes that by coming forward others won't become victims. 

"The court commends the victims' courage for coming forward," Haché said, calling the impact on them immeasurable. 

Desjardins last week said the recommended sentence was for a total of 4½ years, a time reduced to three years going forward because she was credited for time already spend in custody since her arrest last April. 

The Crown said her guilty plea, age and lack of a prior record were mitigating factors, while the impact on the victims and their ages were aggravating factors. 

In February, Desjardins read an agreed statement of facts outlining what the 19-year-old admits. The document outlines how in 2024, the 19-year-old recruited the 15 and 16-year-old girls and paid to bring them to Moncton from another province. 

Once in New Brunswick, the woman took sexually explicit photos of the girls she then used for online ads listing sexual services with them. Desjardins said about 15 men met the two girls over several days. 

Police became aware of the operation when a cab driver called police after becoming suspicious while dropping off one of the girls at a location in Moncton. That eventually led to the girls being rescued.