Alleged Halifax human trafficker slapped with historical sex-abuse charges

Adam Ray Greenlaw, the man at the centre of a big human trafficking case in Halifax provincial court, now faces four historical sex-related charges in Dartmouth provincial court as well.  

Greenlaw, 41, was arraigned Tuesday on two counts each of sexual assault and sexual interference involving two girls.

Police allege one of the complainants was sexually abused between May 1, 2008, and June 30, 2008, and the other between Jan. 1, 2010, and Dec. 31, 2011.

Defence lawyer Don Murray, who represents Greenlaw on the human trafficking matters, appeared in court Tuesday on the new charges.

Murray told the court he hopes to get a certificate from Nova Scotia Legal Aid so he can be retained on the new matters.

Crown attorney Jane Mills pointed out that Greenlaw is remanded on the human trafficking charges. She said the Crown is also opposed to his release on the latest charges.

Judge Jill Hartlen adjourned the case until Feb. 12 and, at the request of the prosecutor, ordered Greenlaw to have no contact with the two complainants.

Greenlaw has been behind bars since April, when he was arrested following a three-month investigation into the trafficking and sexual abuse of girls and young women in the Halifax area.

The Halifax man originally faced 19 charges involving five complainants but by August was accused of 64 offences involving nine complainants.

Five other men – four from Halifax Regional Municipality and one from Pictou County – are also charged in the investigation.

Police allege the six accused committed the offences between May 2021 and April 2023. The nine alleged victims are in their teens or early 20s.

The human trafficking case is due back in court in Halifax this Friday for election and plea.

The charges against Greenlaw include nine counts of sexual assault and four counts each of sexual interference, procuring someone under the age of 18 to provide sexual services for consideration, and making and possessing child pornography.

Greenlaw faces three counts each of trafficking someone under 18 and receiving material benefit from that trafficking, assault with a weapon, advertising sexual services for consideration and distributing child pornography, and two counts each of sexual assault with a weapon, human trafficking, receiving material benefit from human trafficking, procuring someone to provide sexual services for consideration, receiving material benefit from those sexual services, invitation to sexual touching, assault, possession of a prohibited weapon, breaching a weapons prohibition and breaching release conditions.

He is also charged with single counts of forcible confinement, uttering threats, assault causing bodily harm and property mischief.

Greenlaw has not applied for bail on the human trafficking charges. In February 2020, he was sentenced to two years in prison for sharing cocaine with a 15-year-old Lower Sackville girl a few hours before she committed suicide in June 2017.