3 Montreal men accused of running human-trafficking ring between western Canada, Quebec

A suspect is arrested in Red Deer, Alta., on July 23, 2024, as part of Project Endgame, an investigation into human trafficking between western Canada and Quebec. (Source: Alberta Law Enforcement Teams)

Alberta police have arrested three Montreal men who they allege ran a human-trafficking operation between the prairies and Quebec for more than a decade.

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The case, dubbed Project Endgame by authorities, was opened in May 2023 after a 911 call in Edmonton about a sex worker being violently assaulted.

Over the course of their investigation, police say they learned of a human-trafficking ring operating in the Alberta communities of Edmonton, Calgary, Lloydminster, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray and Cold Lake, as well as Vancouver, B.C., and Estevan, Sask.

“This was a unique investigation and we relied on very specific investigative techniques to gather the evidence, as we didn’t have victims who were willing to provide us information. They were all too scared,” Staff Sgt. Chris Hayes told CTV News Edmonton on Thursday, noting the alleged traffickers coerced and forced victims to perform multiple sex acts on multiple people every day, assaulting and threatening them if they didn’t cooperate.

He is hoping other victims come forward.

“We’ve identified upwards of 10 individuals (who were victimized), but like I said, we’ve been able to track these guys back to exploiting females for the better part of a decade,” Hayes said.

“We’ve investigated some of these targets in the past and we know them from other investigations and with collaborating with other police agencies across the country that they’ve been involved in their jurisdictions as well, in Ontario, in Quebec, in BC. So I’m sure there are a significant number of victims out there and if any of them want to speak to us, we would be happy to hear from them to provide them support.”

Clyde Elien-Abbot, 31, Kevin Dorcelus-Cetoute, 31, and Jean Rodnil Dubois, 31, together face 23 charges, including human trafficking, sexual assault, procuring, and material benefit from sexual services.

Dorcelus-Cetoute and Dubois were also charged with assault and uttering thefts. They were arrested in Montreal and Red Deer, respectively, in July 2024.

Elien-Abbot was also charged with advertising sexual services, money laundering and animal cruelty. He was arrested in July as well, but rearrested on Jan. 31 in Edmonton when police had more evidence.

ALERT said he was also charged in a 2021 human trafficking investigation but the charges were stayed.

Only Elien-Abbot remains in custody.

All three are due in court in February and March.

To all survivors, Hayes said, “Know that they’re important, that they matter, and that we want to help them.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Brandon Lynch