SASKATOON – A preliminary hearing has been set for two of four men facing organized crime and human trafficking charges.
The hearing, to determine if there is enough evidence for 32-year-old Kenny Jouthe and 33-year-old Bechir Ben Salah to stand trial, is scheduled for June in Saskatoon Provincial Court.
A bench warrant to hold was issued March 24 for 34-year-old Mali Jean. He is scheduled to appear in court again in June. He was granted bail in April 2022.
Police are still searching for Billy Glenold-Fleury, 33, who has never been captured. Glenold-Fleury has ties to Saskatchewan, Quebec, Alberta, and B.C. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Glenold-Fleury is asked to contact their local police service, RCMP Detachment or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
Charges against the four were the result of an 18-month investigation into a suspected human trafficking group operating across Western Canada with strong ties to Saskatchewan. RCMP say that in June 2019, Saskatchewan RCMP’s Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit investigators became aware of a suspected human trafficking group operating across Western Canada with strong ties to the province of Saskatchewan.
In June 2021, RCMP issued Canada-wide arrest warrants for the four men. Salah was arrested in Laval, QC, in January 2022, Jean was arrested in Burnaby, B.C., in February 2022, and Jouthe turned himself into the Saskatoon court in October 2021.
RCMP had said that they believed there might be other victims who weren’t identified during their investigation and urge them to come forward if they require any assistance.
If you are a victim/survivor of forced prostitution or forced labour, or suspect someone else might be, call the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010. The Hotline Response Advocates will connect callers to support and services and will also take tips, answer questions, and forward information, when appropriate, to law enforcement. You can also report suspected human trafficking to your local police service or Crime Stoppers anonymously by calling 1-800-222-8477.
All four men are charged with participating in the activities of a criminal organization, trafficking persons, material benefit from trafficking persons, and withholding or destroying identity documents.
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