Toronto police officer among 10 charged in underage sex trafficking investigation

A 49-year-old Toronto police officer is among ten men arrested in connection to a human trafficking investigation involving an underage girl.

According to Toronto Police, since November 2019, members of it’s Human Trafficking Team have conducted an investigation into the sexual exploitation of a 16-year-old girl in the Pape Avenue and Cosburn Avenue area.

Police say 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.

Through the investigation, one of the men was identified as a Toronto Police Service officer.

Police say Constable Peter Roberts of Toronto, was arrested and charged on March 13. He’s been charged with obtaining sexual services for consideration from persons under 18 years of age.

Constable Roberts has 11 years of service and was assigned to 51 Division. He is currently suspended with pay, according to police.

Nine other men were also identified and arrested.

Nineteen year old Aryan Khemka, 35-year-old Mohammad Ahmadi, 45-year-old Paul Pochmurski, 27-year-old Sayad Jalai, 29-year-old Feiya Liu, 36-year-old Angel Pina Sanchez, 41-year-old Dragomir Popovic, 27-year-old Austin Morden, and 29-year-old  Michael Yimer have all been charged in connection to the investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7474, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, online on their Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637).

According to Toronto Police, Human Trafficking “means every person who recruits, transports, transfers, receives, holds, conceals or harbours a person, or exercises control, direction or influence over the movements of a person, for the purpose of exploiting them or facilitating their exploitation, for a sexual purpose or a forced labour purpose. Victims can be men, women or children; can be Canadian citizens; and can be moved across local, provincial or national borders.”