Former Toronto cop arrested in human trafficking probe pleads guilty to sex charge
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A former Toronto police officer invoked his status as a cop after hiring women for sexual services, an Ontario court heard Monday — including flashing his firearm to one woman and leaving her “terrified,” and “lying” to another that she was a witness in a sham investigation.
On a third occasion, the off-duty cop took down the licence plate of a car belonging to a woman he’d arranged to meet for sexual services, then later searched it in a police database.
Travis Houston, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual solicitation at the Ontario Court of Justice, seven months after he was arrested by York Regional Police as part of a human trafficking investigation.
A Toronto police officer with two years on the job, Houston resigned from the service on Sept. 18. Before that he was suspended with pay. Gary Clewley, Houston’s lawyer, declined to comment Monday.
According to an agreed statement of facts read out before Justice Nyron Dwyer, just before midnight on March 31, Houston went to an unnamed hotel to meet with a woman who was working as an escort. Although he was off duty, Houston brought his firearm, which was concealed on his waist.
When he arrived at the woman’s door, he moved his shirt to expose his gun, showed her his badge, and said he needed to come in. Court heard he then began to question her about her safety, whether she had a pimp and if there were other women working with her.
The woman, whose name is covered by a publication ban, was “terrified,” court heard.
“She later told York Regional Police that she would not return to York again. She said that she intended to work in Peel region, even though she understood there to be more pimps in Peel, because of how scared she was of Mr. Houston,” the agreed statement of facts states.
After about 15 or 20 minutes in the hotel room, the woman told Houston to go.
Houston also used the same phone number to “engage in similar conduct” another time, court heard. This time, once inside the hotel room, Houston told the woman he’d arrested someone and she was an eyewitness — and that she needed to accompany him to identify the suspect, according to the agreed statement of facts.
“He was lying. There was no investigation, suspect or arrest on which the complainant was a witness. Mr. Houston was not on duty at that time,” court heard.
When the woman refused to leave with him, Houston left the hotel room.
Another time, Houston arranged to receive sexual services from a woman only to get into a disagreement with her via text after arriving at the hotel. He never went into the hotel room, but took down the licence plate of her car, then ran it through a police database the next time he was on duty.
A search of two cellphones seized by York investigators revealed that Houston “arranged for sexual services for consideration on many occasions,” court heard.
No date has yet been set for sentencing.
Former Toronto cop arrested in human trafficking probe pleads guilty to sex charge
Travis Houston hired a sex worker, then brough his gun to the hotel room.
On a third occasion, the off-duty cop took down the licence plate of a car belonging to a woman he’d arranged to meet for sexual services, then later searched it in a police database.
Travis Houston, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual solicitation at the Ontario Court of Justice, seven months after he was arrested by York Regional Police as part of a human trafficking investigation.
A Toronto police officer with two years on the job, Houston resigned from the service on Sept. 18. Before that he was suspended with pay. Gary Clewley, Houston’s lawyer, declined to comment Monday.
According to an agreed statement of facts read out before Justice Nyron Dwyer, just before midnight on March 31, Houston went to an unnamed hotel to meet with a woman who was working as an escort. Although he was off duty, Houston brought his firearm, which was concealed on his waist.
When he arrived at the woman’s door, he moved his shirt to expose his gun, showed her his badge, and said he needed to come in. Court heard he then began to question her about her safety, whether she had a pimp and if there were other women working with her.
The woman, whose name is covered by a publication ban, was “terrified,” court heard.
“She later told York Regional Police that she would not return to York again. She said that she intended to work in Peel region, even though she understood there to be more pimps in Peel, because of how scared she was of Mr. Houston,” the agreed statement of facts states.
After about 15 or 20 minutes in the hotel room, the woman told Houston to go.
Houston also used the same phone number to “engage in similar conduct” another time, court heard. This time, once inside the hotel room, Houston told the woman he’d arrested someone and she was an eyewitness — and that she needed to accompany him to identify the suspect, according to the agreed statement of facts.
“He was lying. There was no investigation, suspect or arrest on which the complainant was a witness. Mr. Houston was not on duty at that time,” court heard.
When the woman refused to leave with him, Houston left the hotel room.
Another time, Houston arranged to receive sexual services from a woman only to get into a disagreement with her via text after arriving at the hotel. He never went into the hotel room, but took down the licence plate of her car, then ran it through a police database the next time he was on duty.
A search of two cellphones seized by York investigators revealed that Houston “arranged for sexual services for consideration on many occasions,” court heard.
No date has yet been set for sentencing.
