Courtesy: Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team

Canada-wide warrant issued for Calgary man connected to human trafficking

Calgary… ALERT Human Trafficking and Counter Exploitation Unit have issued a Canada-wide warrant for a Calgary man suspected of human trafficking.

Tevin Laramee-Watson is facing 10 criminal charges, including human trafficking offences. The 30-year-old man has recently lived in Calgary and has ties to Montreal, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Grande Prairie.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Laramee-Watson is encouraged to contact:

• Their local police agency of jurisdiction;
• Calgary Police Service at 403-266-1234; or
• Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers is always anonymous.

Laramee-Watson is charged with exploiting women for financial benefit from sexual services. He is also charged with assaulting and threatening one of his victims. ALERT began its investigation in February 2021 and have identified multiple survivors.

“We want to ensure this perpetrator is located and placed in custody and we are asking for the public’s help in locating him. Our greatest concern is that more women, in different cities, could be victimized,” said Staff Sgt. Colleen Bowers, ALERT Calgary.

Charges against Laramee-Watson include:

• Assault causing bodily harm;
• Uttering threats;
• Human trafficking x2;
• Financial benefit from human trafficking x2;
• Communication for the purpose of obtaining, for consideration, the sexual services of a person x2; and
• Advertising an offer to provide sexual services for consideration x2.

A number of specialized policies agencies provided assistance on this investigation, including: the Calgary Police Service, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), Lethbridge Police Service, Kelowna RCMP, Vancouver Police, K-Division RCMP, and Tsuut’ina Police.

Survivors of sex trafficking can call 211 for help.

ALERT’s Human Trafficking Counter Exploitation unit investigates domestic human trafficking involving sexual exploitation occurring in Alberta. The integrated unit also works in collaboration with agencies and organizations involved in rescuing and supporting survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime.

Keith Hopper, Trending 55