A landmark human trafficking conviction in Brampton court has demonstrated how police and prosecutors can successfully secure justice even when victims are unwilling or unable to testify against their alleged trafficker.
Montreal resident Wooldy Laguerre, 34, has been found guilty on all 15 charges he faced, including trafficking in persons, exercising control, assault with a weapon, uttering threats, and related offences. The conviction followed a 20-day trial that relied heavily on digital evidence, surveillance footage, financial records, and police body-camera recordings rather than courtroom testimony from the two women involved in the case.
The investigation began with a desperate 911 call on October 12, 2024, from a woman who had fled to a Mississauga gas station without shoes or pants. She told emergency operators that her boyfriend had repeatedly assaulted her and was controlling the money she earned through escort work.
Police traced the complaint to a room at the Super 8 Motel in Mississauga. Upon arriving, officers located a second woman and arrested Laguerre. During the arrest, police discovered a significant amount of cash and a damaged cellphone described during the trial as a “trap phone,” a device allegedly used to manage online sex-trade advertisements.
Although both women initially provided statements to police, neither agreed to testify during the trial. Their absence presented a major challenge for prosecutors, but investigators had already gathered substantial independent evidence.
One of the most compelling pieces of evidence involved bundles of cash. Investigators discovered photographs showing one of the women posing with stacks of $100 bills days before Laguerre’s arrest. By comparing serial numbers on the bills visible in the photographs with cash seized from Laguerre, police were able to establish a direct connection between the money earned by the women and the cash found in his possession.
Justice Sean Robichaud concluded that the evidence demonstrated Laguerre exercised effective control over the proceeds generated through the women’s sex work. The court found that the women lacked practical access to their own earnings and depended on Laguerre for basic necessities, including accommodation, transportation, and food.
Police body-camera footage also played a crucial role. In recorded conversations, one of the women described how she was required to surrender her earnings to Laguerre and feared violence if she refused. Another told officers that he had threatened to kill them if they spoke with police and warned they would be “destroyed” if they attempted to leave him.
The court was also presented with photographs showing bruises, welts, and red marks on the women’s bodies. The injuries were found to be consistent with allegations that Laguerre had assaulted them using cables and a phone charger.
Investigators further examined online advertisements posted on LeoList, a classified website frequently used to advertise adult services. Evidence from the seized cellphone showed repeated posting and management of advertisements featuring the two women. The court heard that the advertisements attracted thousands of views and that neither woman appeared to have access to the accounts, passwords, or payment systems used to operate them.
Justice Robichaud ruled that the evidence proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Laguerre controlled the online advertisements and profited from the women’s activities.
Laguerre testified in his own defence, claiming he had merely provided transportation to the women from Quebec to Ontario and denied involvement in trafficking. He also attempted to explain the large amount of cash found on him by claiming it originated from the sale of a stolen luxury vehicle.
The judge rejected those explanations, finding his testimony unreliable and inconsistent with the evidence presented during the trial.
The case is being viewed as a significant example of victimless prosecution in human trafficking investigations, where authorities rely on independent evidence rather than forcing survivors to relive traumatic experiences in court. Experts say such approaches are increasingly important because victims often fear retaliation, remain emotionally connected to traffickers, or face other barriers that prevent them from testifying.
Sentencing submissions are scheduled to take place in August. Laguerre now faces the possibility of a substantial prison sentence following his conviction on all charges.
The case also highlights the growing sophistication of human trafficking investigations, where digital evidence, financial records, surveillance footage, and forensic analysis are increasingly being used to dismantle trafficking operations and secure convictions, even in the absence of direct courtroom testimony from victims.