An alleged pimp wanted on a Canada-wide warrant was arrested in Vancouver Provincial Court on Wednesday.
Jemuel Norman Scott was appearing before a judge on charges of procuring and benefiting from sexual services. Court documents show the charges deal with incidents alleged to have occurred in Vancouver, Toronto and the Alberta communities of Edmonton, Sherwood Park and Lloydminster.
However, Wednesday's court proceedings came to a halt when the judge heard police were waiting for Scott in the hall to arrest him.
Defence lawyer John Allingham told the court he was alerted earlier in the morning about the Canada-wide warrant from Toronto. The judge was to hear sentencing submissions but Allingham said the situation left him unable to do that.
Scott had pleaded guilty to the benefit from sexual services charge, according to the court docket.
The judge said if a conditional sentence was being sought, it would have no effect at this point.
The judge and lawyers agreed to put the case off until Jan. 12.
As Scott stepped from the courtroom, two Vancouver Police Department officers approached him and read him his rights. He was subsequently handcuffed.
“I’m being shipped to Toronto?” Scott asked.
“You guys are crazy, man,” he said.
Allingham tried to quiet Scott.
“Why didn’t I get a call from you this morning?” Scott asked.
“I just found out as well,” Allingham responded.
According to RCMP E Division spokesperson Cpl. Troy Savinkoff, the Canada-wide warrant relates to:
- charges of assault
- procuring for a financial material benefit
- trafficking in persons by recruiting
- uttering threats; and
- assault with a weapon, among others
Both RCMP E Division and K Division referred Glacier Media to the Toronto Police Department. The department wouldn’t give information without a date of birth and a file number.
