Iqaluit man accused of human trafficking
Matthew Pierce, 32, faces 4 charges, including 1 for trafficking in persons
A man in Iqaluit faces four charges, including one for human trafficking. (File photo)
A man in Iqaluit charged with human trafficking is scheduled to appear in court next week.
Matthew Pierce, 32, is accused of human trafficking, sexual assault, voyeurism and publishing intimate images without consent. All of the charges involve one female victim, according to court documents.
A court-ordered ban prevents the publication of the victim’s name.
RCMP laid the charges Sept. 12, 2022.
The case is scheduled for a preliminary hearing May 15 in Iqaluit. Preliminary hearings give the Crown the chance to introduce evidence so the court can determine whether the case should proceed to trial. Pierce’s hearing is scheduled to last two days.
The charges stem from incidents alleged to have occurred on Nov. 1, 2014, and Aug. 23, 2022.
Human trafficking charges are very rare in Nunavut. There has only been one other charge laid in the territory since 2011, according to Statistics Canada.
Human trafficking charges are rare across Canada as well but have been on the rise over the past 10 years. According to Statistics Canada, police laid 60 Criminal Code human trafficking charges in 2011. That number rose to 352 in 2021.
(0) Comments