7 arrested, 65 charges laid in Portage child exploitation and human trafficking investigation

The Manitoba RCMP announced details into a Portage la Prairie human trafficking case Tuesday morning.

At a press conference in Winnipeg, the RCMP said that seven individuals have been arrested from the Portage area, and 65 charges were laid in connection to a child exploitation and human trafficking investigation within the community.

Portage Mayor Sharilyn Knox spoke to PortageOnline and shared her reaction to this investigation.

"It's devastating, obviously. Inspector Pike (the Investigative Services Officer for RCMP Major Crime Services) said it right when he said, 'If you think that these things aren't happening in your community, you're naive, and we can't be that.' We have to be open to knowing. We have to make sure that we're reporting things. We have to make sure that we're protecting our children, and I'm going to say that today, I do not feel that we are. And so, we need to be finding ways to do that."

Knox noted that this investigation has caused some upheaval in the area.

"It's a small community. We're less than 14,000 people. People know people. So, it's going to be quite a shock to a lot of people in Portage la Prairie."

Mounties provided this statement to the media regarding the investigation:

Between February 2, 2024, and June 4, 2024, investigators with the Manitoba RCMP's Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit executed 10 search warrants in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, arresting seven individuals and laying 65 charges.

The investigation began on February 2, 2024, when Portage RCMP were notified of a young girl seen around the city with older men. Officers were able to locate the female youth as well as an additional female youth, both 15, who were exploited in a human trafficking operation in Portage.

The investigation revealed that an adult female had befriended the girls and offered for them to hang out with some of her friends to get some drugs and money. The girls trusted the adult female and attended residences in the city with her between June 2023 and December 2023. When the youth arrived with the adult female, there would be an adult male present who would offer drugs in exchange for sexual acts. On many occasions, the youth was locked in the location by the adult female, who remained through the entire interaction, and they could not escape.

The youth would perform the sexual acts and receive the drugs, and sometimes currency, from the adult male. The adult female would also receive payment in the form of drugs, including methamphetamine and cocaine.

The exploitation included the adult males sending nude photos to the two youth and requiring photos of the two youth. As well, telecommunications between several of the males and the adult female took place via Snapchat or Facebook Messenger to groom or procure services from the youths.

When officers executed the search warrants for devices, they also seized a large quantity of methamphetamine and cocaine, and 13 firearms, namely rifles and shot guns.

The following individuals are charged:

Chasity Nicole Assiniboine, 43, from Long Plain First Nation –

• Trafficking of a Person under 18 x2
• Child Luring x4
• Uttering Threats x2
• Benefit from Sexual Services provided by Person under 18
• Advertising Sexual Services
• Procuring Person under 18

Sean Michael Boak, 40, from Portage –

• Sexual Interference
• Child Luring x2
• Sexual Assault
• Possession of Child Pornography
• Print/Publish/Make Child Pornography
• Obtaining Sexual Services for Consideration for Person under 18
• Make Sexually Explicit Material available to Child
• Trafficking Cocaine
• Fail to Comply with Undertaking x4

David Guy Howard Taylor, 40, from Portage –

• Sexual Assault x2
• Sexual Interference x2
• Child Luring x2
• Obtaining Sexual Services for Consideration for Person under 18
• Trafficking Cocaine
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Cocaine
• Possess Weapon for Dangerous Purpose x2
• Unauthorized Possession of Firearm
• Unsafe Storage of Firearm
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5000

Scott Joseph Taylor, 34, from Portage –

• Obtaining Sexual Services for Consideration for Person under 18
• Unsafe Storage of Firearms

Wesley Clayton Roulette, 44, from Portage –

• Sexual Assault x2
• Sexual Interference x2
• Child Luring x2
• Obtaining Sexual Services for Consideration for Person under 18

Alexander Paul Lidster, 39, from Portage –

• Sexual Assault
• Sexual Interference
• Child Luring x2
• Possession of Child Pornography
• Print/Publish/Make Child Pornography
• Make Sexually Explicit Material available to Child
• Obtaining Sexual Services for Consideration for Person under 18
• Benefit from Sexual Services
• Trafficking Cocaine

Frank Peter Justin Tecza, 39, from Portage –

• Sexual Assault
• Sexual Interference
• Child Luring x2
• Obtaining Sexual Services for Consideration for Person under 18
• Trafficking Cocaine
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Cocaine
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5000

The accused are all known to each other.

"Investigators do believe there are more victims and survivors," said Inspector Shawn Pike, Investigative Services Officer for RCMP Major Crime Services. "Information has led officers to know that a currently unidentified 13- or 14-year-old female was also exploited by this group. We ask anybody who knows anything about this operation or is a survivor of it, to please call the Internet Child Exploitation Unit at 204-984-3129."

"If you think this is not happening in your community, you are wrong," added Constable Kirandeep Hira with the ICE unit. "This is human trafficking, and it is happening all over Manitoba. We all need to do our part to protect those victimized by traffickers. If you see something, say something. Those engaged in the production or exchange of child pornography are also throughout our province, and we are dedicated to enforcing against anyone who exploits children."

This investigation continues.

(With files from Mike Blume and the Manitoba RCMP.)

Stories listed below in related stories show some of these offenders who have been formerly busted for drugs and released.