The woman Calgary police issued an arrest warrant for on Monday in relation to an ongoing human trafficking investigation is believed to be in Edmonton.
Investigators told Global News on Tuesday they’re working with Edmonton police now to track down Jessica Vinje, wanted on several warrants, including sexual assault and human trafficking.
Calgary police said on Monday they were looking for Vinje along with three teenagers after a woman reportedly ran into a business on 5 Avenue S.W. and claimed she’d been held against her will in a nearby apartment for five days.
Police believe the woman had been forcibly confined and forced to perform sexual acts on 10 different men for money, which was then taken by the suspects.
Those people reportedly gained access to the building with key fobs given to them by Vinje.
Global News has confirmed the apartment building is The York complex on 5 Avenue, and that building managers are now taking extra security measures to protect the building.
A sign on the outside of the building on Tuesday tells residents that all key fobs had been deactivated and would be replaced.
Residents of the building were shocked to learn about the investigation in their home
Jeremy Schtelzer lives across from the apartment in question and said he was just getting home from work when police searched the unit last Wednesday.
“I went upstairs and of course as soon as the elevator opens, I look around the corner and there’s a police officer telling me to be quiet.”
He said he sometimes saw random people going in and out of the unit at odd times in the day. He added he recognized the woman seen in the photo released from police.
“I’m shocked,” resident Aurora Ouellet said. “I didn’t think it was that bad. We heard about it, we saw the cops out a couple of nights ago and I’m kind of blown away by it.”
Calgary police still have warrants out for three teenagers: a 17-year-old boy, 17-year-old girl and 16-year-old boy who are each facing numerous charges, including human trafficking and sexual assault.
With files from Gary Bobrovitz.
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