A Barrie jury has found a Toronto man guilty of trafficking two women stemming from the advertising and selling of sexual services from three local hotels in the summer of 2022.

Yohance Parsons, 32, was found guilty of seven counts, including two for human trafficking, two for procuring, two for receiving material benefit and one for advertising sexual services.

Parsons was found not guilty of sexual assault against one of the women by the same jury.

The jury also returned a guilty verdict against April Borgiani, 28, also of Toronto, on a reduced list of charges that included two procuring counts, as well as a single charge of receiving a material benefit and another of advertising sexual services.

Charges of human trafficking against Borgiani were withdrawn by presiding Superior Court Justice Laura Bird before the jury began to deliberate.

The trial lasted about three weeks. It heard evidence of how the two women at first willingly agreed to travel to Barrie to provide sexual services that had been advertised on a website.

Crown attorney Julie Janiuk meticulously presented evidence of how Parsons secured rooms at three south-end Barrie hotels, set up and then paid for posts advertising sexual services, as well as other details to facilitate the operation he controlled.

Included in his overarching role in trafficking the women, court heard he instructed and coached them to take photos of themselves in sexually suggestive poses that were used in the online advertisements.

One set of such photos was taken in one victim’s grandparents’ house, court heard.

The women told the jury they were not at first aware of Parsons’s identity, referring to him as “Daddy” or “Daddy Francis.” They only learned of his real name much later, around the time one woman told her probation officer about what was going on, court heard.

The probation officer alerted the authorities, prompting an investigation and eventual charges against both accused.

Both women’s identities are covered by a publication ban.

Borgiani provided advice and support for the young women, who were both in their early 20s at the time, the jury heard.

The arrangement soured when Parsons began to keep a greater portion of the money and exercise more control over them, court heard.

One of the victims worked for Parsons for a relatively brief period. The other victim, who had alleged Parsons had sexually assaulted her, was under his control for much longer.

Both women testified they have since left the sex trade.

The Crown also presented evidence that included video of Parsons attending a Barrie business to pay for the advertising of their sexual services by using cryptocurrency.

Both Parsons and Borgiani, represented by separate counsel, Shedrack Agbakwa and Benjamin Parsons, respectively, declined to present evidence in their defence.

The jury deliberated for several hours, returning their verdict just before court was about to retire for the day.

Parsons and Borgiani will return to court in April to have a date set for sentencing submissions.

[https://www.barrietoday.com/court/jury-finds-man-guilty-of-trafficking-women-at-three-barrie-hotels-11920856](https://www.barrietoday.com/court/jury-finds-man-guilty-of-trafficking-women-at-three-barrie-hotels-11920856)

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Jury finds man (Yohance Parsons & April Borgiani) guilty of trafficking women at three Barrie hotels