A Mississauga man accused of human trafficking is facing additional charges after two more alleged victims came forward, Toronto police say.
Elijah Benjamin, 36, surrendered to authorities on Friday.
They allege that Benjamin met all three of his victims on an online dating app.
An investigation carried out by police’s human trafficking unit in June, July and August led to his arrest three times and several charges. He was arrested on July 22 and then rearrested on July 30 and August 14.
His first arrest came after police executed a search warrant at a Mississauga address.
In the first case, police alleged that “through a combination of deception, coercion, and control,” he trafficked a 32-year-old woman.
“The victim was forced to take sexualized pictures which were used to distribute online. The money earned by the victim was surrendered over to the accused and was kept by him,” police said in a release on July 23.
On July 22, he was charged with assault; theft over $5,000; procuring; advertising another person’s sexual services; trafficking in persons over 18; uttering threats causing death; financial/material benefit/trafficking persons over 18; and material benefit from sexual services.
In the second case, he allegedly did the same things to another 32-year-old woman.
On July 30, Benjamin was charged with: procuring; trafficking in persons by recruiting; advertising another person’s sexual services; living on avails of prostitution; material benefit from sexual services; assault with a weapon; and two counts of assault.
In the third case, in August, police’s human trafficking unit alleged that he tried to recruit a 31-year-old woman into the sex trade through coercion and control.
“The victim was sexually assaulted by the accused on multiple occasions,” police said.
On Friday, he was charged with two counts of sexual assault and procuring. He was due to appear in court on Friday to face those charges.
Police believe there may be more victims. Any victims are encouraged to come forward to police.
The accused was previously known as Eric Smart. He also uses the aliases Jay and Jason.
Anyone with information is urged to call police.