Dominic Delisle, 36, appeared via video in provincial court in St. John’s on Tuesday morning. He remains in custody and will be back before a judge later this month. Delisle is charged with two counts of trafficking for the purpose of exploiting a person, plus one count of benefiting from the commission of the crime. He faces a fourth charge of profiting from the provision of sexual services. The alleged offenses occurred between Aug. 7 and Sept. 5, according to court documents. There is a publication ban on the name of the alleged victim, who is identified only by initials in court filings. Human trafficking is an extremely rare category in Newfoundland and Labrador. Delisle has been convicted in Quebec of weapons offences, threats and forcing women into prostitution. According to Parole Board of Canada documents obtained by CBC News four years ago, Delisle has pimping convictions dating back to 2007. Those records showed he targeted girls between the ages of 15 and 17. In 2018, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary issued a wanted notice for Delisle in connection with the theft of $30,000 in furniture stolen from an apartment he was renting in St. John’s. Delisle eventually pleaded guilty later that year. The pending human trafficking charges are not the only ongoing criminal proceedings against Delisle in Newfoundland and Labrador. Last month, RCMP said Delisle had been arrested with another man after officers searched a vehicle near the west coast town of Howley and seized a loaded handgun and some cocaine. According to Mounties, the gun was later determined to be stolen. Delisle was also in court in provincial court in Corner Brook Tuesday morning on four firearms-related charges. The matter returns to court in October. Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
