CAYUGA A Superior Court judge on Wednesday denounced those who profit from others in the sex trade as he sentenced two Caledonia men convicted of trafficking a young Brantford woman.
Justice Robert Nightingale sentenced Dragisa Lucic, 31, to a global sentence of seven years, while Joshua Hillock, 32, got a prison sentence of four years. Each man saw his sentence reduced for various credits.
The judge said they were part of a “criminal organization” exploiting the woman, then 18, in late 2019 and early 2020,
The men, along with three others, rented a home in Caledonia. They took their victim to hotels around southern Ontario, advertising her services, supplying her with drugs and food, disguising her by dying her hair and collecting all the proceeds of her sex work.
The woman was told when she could sleep and eat and sometimes was denied food or the drugs she relied upon. In texts, the group referred to their responsibilities in dealing with the woman as caring for “the dog.”
A third member of the group, Daniel Campbell, 37, will be sentenced in January. The Crown is asking for a 12-year sentence.
Two Caledonia women also faced charges in the case. Crystal-Anne Marier, 37, was found not guilty, while Carly Creor, is being tried separately. A date has yet to be set for her trial.
Marier tested earlier this year that she had a serious drug addiction at the time of the offenses and was only part of the group because Campbell was her drug dealer and lover.
Lucic and Hillock were each found guilty of human trafficking, procuring and receiving money from human trafficking and from sexual services. Lucic was also guilty of advertising for sexual services.
“They were part of a criminal organization so they could exploit the victim in the sex trade,” said Nightingale.
While the Crown and defense agreed the range of sentences for such crimes is from four to eight years, the Crown asked the judge to consider sentences of five years Hillock and 10 years for Lucic.
Nightingale said Lucic exercised “significant control” over the woman for 3 1/2 months, exacerbating her drug addiction.
“His moral blameworthiness is very serious,” said the judge, adding that Lucic neither offered an apology to the victim nor accepted responsibility by pleading guilty.
But Nightingale noted that Lucic, with the support of his family, has a prospect of rehabilitation.
Nightingale sentenced Lucic to seven years but gave him credit for time already spent in jail and a stringent bail period, similar to house arrest, for two years. That leaves him five years and five months to serve.
The judge ordered that Lucic to pay half of the estimated $15,000 the victim earned in the sex trade to the woman.
“Thank you, your honour,” Lucic said.
As he left the courtroom, Lucic grinned, waved and blew kisses to his supporters.
Hillock maintained his innocence during the trial, insisting he thought the woman was a willing participant in the sex trade.
Nightingale said Hillock appeared to get none of the proceeds from crimes but he assisted the others in exploiting the woman.
Nightingale said that didn’t minimize Hillock’s role, but simply put more blame on Campbell and Lucic.
The judge agreed with the defense that a four-year sentence was appropriate due to Hillock’s more minor involvement and his lack of a record.
He gave Hillock credit for both time already served and a long, strict bail period, leaving him with two years and five months to serve.
Both men must submit samples of their DNA to the national offenders data-bank and will be on the sexual offenders registry for the rest of their lives.
Sentencing submissions for Campbell will be heard Jan. 13.
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