A Winnipeg Police Service shoulder badge is seen at the Public Information Office in Winnipeg, on September 2, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski)
Two recent arrests by Winnipeg police have highlighted ongoing efforts to address sexual exploitation and protect vulnerable individuals in the community.
In one case, the police sex crimes unit launched an investigation into a historical sexual exploitation incident involving a former student support worker within the Seven Oaks School Division. A survivor, now an adult, reported that she had been groomed by her support worker, leading to a sexually exploitative relationship from May 2019 to August 2020 when she was a teenager.
On November 3, police arrested and charged 37-year-old Matthew James Mousseau with sexual assault and sexual exploitation. Authorities confirmed that Mousseau, who had worked in various Winnipeg schools, was no longer employed as a teacher as of May 2024.
In a separate case, the WPS counter exploitation unit began investigating in early October following a report from a woman in her 20s who alleged that an adult female had coerced her into sex work.
According police, the suspect had groomed the survivor by providing her with gifts such as clothing, jewelry, and drugs, later pressuring her to “repay” these items by working as an escort. The suspect allegedly arranged meetings and collected all earnings from the survivor’s services.
On November 4, police arrested 34-year-old Michelle Victoria Comber, charging her with procuring person to provide sexual services, material benefit from sexual services, trafficking in persons, and failure to comply with a probation order.
Both suspects remain in police custody.
