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A Vancouver man has been convicted on 30 of 36 criminal charges for recruiting vulnerable teenage girls into his prostitution ring.
The case of Reza Moazami involves the first-ever conviction in B.C. for human trafficking.
The offences dating back to February 2009 have been linked to 11 victims — nine of whom were under the age of consent, while others were as young as 14.
Prosecutor Kristin Bryson says Moazami’s customers are just as much to blame.
“I hope they realize what they’re doing. It’s not consensual. This is not something that these girls really wanted to engage in.”
Moazami originally faced 36 charges. He was acquitted on one count of human trafficking because the victim recanted her story.
The lead investigator for Vancouver police, Detective Jim Fisher, says he’s pleased Moazami has been taken off the street, but he says there are many more out there worse than him.
“He’s one and there’s guys that are probably more dangerous, more physical than him. He exploited them psychologically and through drugs and there’s guys that are beating girls up to keep them under control. There’s so much more work to be done.”
Fisher says many of the rooms used as makeshift brothels by Moazami were in high-end hotels and some of his clients included a former high-profile athlete.
Agencies/Canadajournal
