Calgary human trafficking suspect who allegedly focused teenagers faces a dozen new costs

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A Calgary man charged following a human trafficking investigation earlier this 12 months is going through a slew of recent costs after police discovered three extra victims, all teenage ladies.

Benjamin Loewen, a 21-year-old Calgary man, was charged with six offences — together with intercourse crimes, drug trafficking, youngster pornography and extortion costs — in Might associated to a human trafficking investigation by the Alberta Legislation Enforcement Response Groups. On the time, police alleged Loewen had focused a number of teen ladies, however just one 15-year-old sufferer had been recognized.

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Within the following months, investigators with ALERT spoke with three further victims, all between the ages of 16 and 18, leading to Loewen being charged with 12 further offences earlier this month.

The brand new costs embrace two counts every of benefitting from sexual providers of an individual beneath 18, procuring an individual beneath 18, making youngster pornography and distributing youngster pornography, in addition to one rely every of sexual assault, sexual interference, commercial of sexual providers and extortion by threats.

Police say extra victims may nonetheless come ahead.

“We’ve continued with our investigation and imagine that he was actively exploiting these teenagers and different ladies as effectively. We’re releasing his photograph now in hopes to encourage different survivors to come back ahead and share any info they’ve with police,” stated Employees Sgt. Colleen Bowers, of ALERT Human Trafficking.

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ALERT says the victims are all receiving help and assets. Bowers stated it’s essential that victims know Canadian laws makes it “unlawful for a 3rd occasion to learn from an individual who’s working within the intercourse commerce or is being sexually exploited.”

Loewen is beneath home arrest and topic to a number of circumstances awaiting his subsequent courtroom date, scheduled for Aug. 28.

ALERT asks anyone with details about the incident to contact the Calgary Police Service’s non-emergency line at 403-266-1234. Tipsters can even contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

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Twitter: @MichaelRdrguez