2 men from Oakville charged in human trafficking investigation

Rayon Powell and Gebre Byrnes, both of Oakville, have been charged in connection with a human trafficking investigation. (HRPS photos)

Two men from Oakville are each facing several charges after allegedly trafficking multiple women.

Last July, Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) began an investigation after learning that a woman was being trafficked by two males in Oakville.

Police said further investigation, which included analyzing financial information provided by Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, revealed that multiple other adult females were also being trafficked by the same two individuals.

Investigators allege that the suspects “used coercion, manipulation, physical violence, and psychological harm to maintain control and influence over the victims, while they benefitted financially from the exploitation.”

On March 20, 2025, police executed criminal code search warrants at two locations in Oakville and arrested 38-year-old Rayon Powell, of Oakville, who goes by the aliases “Dante,” “Michael Williams,” and “Kash” and 46-year-old Gebre Byrnes, also of Oakville, who also goes by the aliases “G” and “Jason Peters.”

Powell and Byrnes are each facing multiple related charges.

At that time, police also seized approximately 254 grams of cocaine, a large sum of cash, a stolen motorcycle, several electronic devices, and victim identity documents.

Police believe there may be more victims and have released photos of the accused.

Anyone with further information, or anyone who has been victimized by the accused, is asked to contact Det. Scott Heyerman of HRPS’s Human Trafficking Unit at 905-825-4747, ext. 5241, or Crime stoppers anonymously.