Dartmouth robbery call leads to human trafficking charges against two men
Posted Oct 6, 2017 12:53:33 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
DARTMOUTH – Two men face a slew of charges including human trafficking after Regional Police initially responded to the robbery of a 16-year-old girl Wednesday night.
Regional Police responded to a robbery call involving a gun just after 11 p.m. Wednesday on Lakecrest Drive in Dartmouth, where a 16-year-old female was robbed of cash and some personal effects.
The teen was not hurt and police said three suspects fled in a van before later being taken into custody in Bedford. Police said an airsoft rifle was also found inside the van.
The victim and three men were known to each other, according to police, who also took another 16-year-old female into custody for questioning.
Police said through their investigation they found two of the men involved in the assault had allegedly directed and influenced the 16-year-old robbery victim into prostitution.
Joshua Osborn Mabie, 19, of Dartmouth was scheduled to appear in court Friday to face ten charges, including human trafficking of a person under the age of eighteen, gaining material benefit from trafficking a person under the age of eighteen and procuring prostitution.
Mabie is also charged with advertising sexual services, robbery, using an imitation firearm in a commission of an offence, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and three counts of breaching probation.
Brandon David Smith, 30, of Lower Sackville also faces charges of human trafficking of a person under the age of eighteen, material benefit from trafficking a person under the age of eighteen and two counts of breach of probation.
Dante Keenan Longard, 20, of Dartmouth is charged with robbery, two counts of breach of recognizance and breach of probation.
Both Smith and Longard are scheduled to appear in Dartmouth Provincial Court on Friday.
A 16-year-old female from Halifax, who was not the victim of the robbery, also faces charges of robbery, possession of property obtained by crime less than $5000, breach of a recognizance, two counts of breach of a sentence order and breach of probation. She is scheduled to appear in Halifax Provincial Youth Court on Friday.
Police say anyone who has information on this case or other potential human trafficking cases should call police at 902-490-5020 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
