A judge sentences two Caledonians to prison for sex trafficking

The young victim of a human trafficking regime was not in the Cayuga courtroom on Wednesday to check on two of the men sentenced to force her into prostitution be sentenced to prison for their crimes.

The victim, a young woman from Brantford who cannot be named due to a publication ban, also did not submit a victim impact statement prior to sentencing.

But Judge Robert J. Nightingale made frequent reference to him when sentencing Dragisa Lucic to seven years and Joshua Hillock to 3.5 years for their roles in transforming the film. budding model prostitute and enjoying her sex work from October 2019 to January 2020.

“I don’t need a victim impact statement to tell me the traumatic effect of the sexual exploitation of the victim,” Nightingale said, noting that the victim suffered physical and emotional distress while recounting her abuse. for 12 days of testimony in court.

“I also have no doubt that the experiences the victim endured as a result of these offenses likely had a profound, permanent and traumatic negative impact on them.”

The judge said Lucic, Daniel Campbell and an anonymous ‘third party’, all from Caledonia, exercised complete ‘coercion and control’ over the victim, determining when she could eat and where she could go, and keeping everything money she earned despite promises to share the profits with her.

After taking into account the time already served in pretrial detention – and shaved off additional months in recognition of the “difficult” conditions in prison during the COVID-19 closures and Lucic’s “onerous” conditions of temporary release – the judge sentenced Lucic to five years and five months behind bars.

Hillock will serve two years and five months in prison.

The Crown wanted a 10-year sentence for Lucic, while his lawyer countered with six years reduced to 4.5 after time deductions.

Prosecutors have requested a five-year sentence for Hillock, whose attorney has requested a total of four years with two years and five months in prison.

In giving Hillock a low-end sentence for a human trafficking conviction, Nightingale cited his lack of a criminal record and “reasonable prospect” of rehabilitation.

Lucic and Hillock declined to address the court.

Both offenders were ordered to submit a DNA sample, abide by a lifetime weapons ban and not communicate with the victim while incarcerated. Lucic was ordered to pay the victim $7,500 in restitution.

Campbell will have his sentencing hearing in January.

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