Girl allegedly forced into sex for free rooms
An Ottawa court heard that a 23-year-old Montreal man, charged with human trafficking, forced a 17 year-old to have sex with hotel employees in return for free rooms.
Jamie Byron was arrested by Ottawa police in October 2011 on several charges, including living off the avails of juvenile prostitution, assault, exercising control over a prostitute, keeping a common bawdy house and attempting to flee police.
He pleaded not guilty Monday to nine charges in total.
The alleged victim cannot be named because there is a publication ban on her identity
The crown said that the girl was forced to have sex over the course of two month, often unprotected, with dozens of men in Ottawa, Toronto, Barrie and Montreal.
On Tuesday, Detective Shane Henderson testified he got a tip from the Extended Stay Inn on Cooper Street in August of 2011.
Posing as a "john," Henderson said he went to room 219 at the Inn, occupied by three prostitutes, and told them he was a police officer. He said the victim spilled out her story and said 'I'm glad its over.'
The young woman was freed and police then charged Jamie Jamaal Byron.
The alleged victim in this case is expected to tell her story to the court later this week via an electronic connection from another room in the courthouse, to protect her identify.
