Update #1- SECOND ARREST: London Man Facing Human Trafficking Charges

As a result of the ongoing human trafficking investigation, a second suspect was identified.

On Thursday, May 28, 2026, members of the Niagara Regional Police Human Trafficking Unit (HTU), with assistance from 1 District (St. Catharines/Thorold) Street Crime Unit (SCU) arrested the suspect in the area of Queenston Street and Niagara Street in the City of St Catharines.

29-year-old Joshua SHIRLEY of St. Catharines is charged with the following criminal offences:

• Trafficking in Persons
• Procuring
• Utter Threats
• Forced Marriage

SHIRLEY remains in custody and is scheduled to attend a bail hearing on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse, located at 59 Church Street in St. Catharines.

Detectives believe that there may be other victims and are asking anyone who believes they may be a victim, or knows of anyone who has had an interaction with SHIRLEY to contact them at (905) 688-4111, dial option 3, ext 1029548.

Survivors of Human Trafficking are encouraged to contact the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline by calling 1-833-900-1010 or on the internet CLICK HERE. This is a 24/7 confidential support resource available in over 200 languages. 

Human Trafficking means every person who recruits, transports, transfers, receives, holds, conceals, or harbours a person, or exercises control, direction or influence over the movements of a person, for the purpose of exploiting them or facilitating their exploitation, for a sexual purpose or forced labour purpose.  Victims can be men, women, or children; can be Canadian citizens; and can be moved across local, provincial, or national borders.  They can be coerced through violence or the threat of violence against family and friends. 

For more information about community support options for survivors of Human Trafficking and the Niagara Regional Police Service’s efforts to combat Human Trafficking CLICK HERE.

Members of the community who wish to provide information anonymously can contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477(TIPS). Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to people who contact the program with information which leads to an arrest.

NRPS Incident 26-63472, 26-64065