Children involved in human trafficking case across Ontario; 4 Brampton residents charged

Four Brampton residents face charges in connection to a human trafficking investigation that involved three underage victims.

The charges come after an Ontario-wide human trafficking investigation dubbed Project Uptown, OPP said in a press release today (June 27).

There were five victims identified and three were underage at some point during the time they were trafficked, police said.

One female victim had been trafficked throughout Ontario by eight separate men since 2014, police said. Each man employed different methods of exploitation and has been charged with additional crimes beyond human trafficking, police added.

The investigation started in October 2022 after police received information about suspected human trafficking. The investigation involved several Ontario police forces in addition to the OPP including Durham Regional Police Service, Halton Regional Police Service, Hamilton Police Service, Niagara Regional Police Service and Peel Regional Police.

“Project Uptown’s success underscores the vital importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies and community partners in combating the heinous crime of human trafficking,” said OPP Detective Inspector Mike Thurlow in the press release.

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This investigation demonstrates that by working together, we can disrupt these criminal activities and provide crucial support to the victims.”

The victims have been referred to dedicated victim services to receive continued support.

A total of 81 charges were laid against six people, $1,100 in Canadian currency was seized, more than 30 grams of various illicit substances were recovered and one firearm was recovered.

Angela Mary Marsh, 37, of Brampton, faces human trafficking, material benefit from sexual services, procuring, and advertising sexual services charges.

Daryl Mario Allen, 41, of Brampton, faces human trafficking, procuring, advertising sexual services, material benefit from sexual services, drug possession, and possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000 charges.

Hamed A. Hogyani, 45, of Brampton, faces child pornography, distribution of child pornography, possession of child pornography, human trafficking, procuring, advertising sexual services, material benefit from sexual services, material benefit from sexual services provided by person under 18 years old, and assault charges.

An unnamed 40-year-old Brampton man faces charges of making child pornography, distribution of child pornography, possession of child pornography, assault, trafficking of a person under the age of eighteen years old, human trafficking, exercise control of a person under 18 years of age, exercise control, and advertising sexual services.

Two other people of unknown residences — Richard Joseph Briscoe, 34, and Jeffrey Nathaniel Cheddensingh 37, — also face several charges.

If you or someone you know is being trafficked, call your local police. The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking has resources available for victims and survivors of human trafficking on their website at canadiancentretoendhumantrafficking.ca. A national hotline is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-833-900-1010.