Prosecutors in Montreal have called for lengthy prison sentences for a mother and daughter from LaSalle who pleaded guilty to human trafficking and forcing a young woman into prostitution. The Crown argued the case represents a severe violation of human dignity.
Shocking Details of Control and Abuse Revealed in Court
At the Montreal courthouse on Monday, December 1, 2025, Crown prosecutor Sarah Audrey Daigneault presented sentence arguments before Quebec Court Judge Jean-Jacques Gagné. The case involves Sonia Abbruzzo, 49, and her daughter Bryanna, 24, who entered guilty pleas last year.
The prosecutor requested a 10-year prison term for Sonia Abbruzzo and a five-year sentence for her daughter Bryanna. For the human trafficking conviction alone, Sonia Abbruzzo faces a maximum of 14 years and a mandatory minimum of four years behind bars.
Daigneault told the court the level of disrespect for human dignity displayed in this case is rarely seen. She emphasized that denunciation should be a primary factor in sentencing, describing the accused's actions as "modern slavery."
A Reign of Terror and Lasting Trauma
The court heard disturbing evidence of the control exerted over the victim, a former friend of Bryanna. The young woman was forced to sleep in Sonia Abbruzzo's garage or outdoors in the backyard. In a particularly cruel incident captured on video, the mother and daughter mocked the victim when she urinated in her underwear while being forced to stay outside in October.
"The goal was to ridicule her. The control was already underway," Daigneault stated. She noted that from her own testimony, Sonia Abbruzzo admitted she enjoyed the victim's suffering.
The victim, who had never sold sexual services before, was lured into prostitution. The Abbruzzos controlled every aspect: advertising, services, prices, schedule, and location. All money earned went to the accused.
The abuse had catastrophic effects on the victim's life. She testified to experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder, panic attacks, and a loss of self. She requires daytime and nighttime medication, was hospitalized in a psychiatric ward, and her financial life was ruined. Sonia Abbruzzo even discarded the only photo the victim had of her grandfather.
Legal Arguments and Awaiting Sentence
Sonia Abbruzzo's lawyer argued for a lesser sentence of five years. The court was told that Bryanna Abbruzzo's lawyer, who will present arguments later this week, will seek a sentence that can be served in the community.
The prosecutor also revealed that a pre-sentencing report described a "reign of terror" Sonia Abbruzzo exercised over other detainees at her detention centre, where she has been held since 2022. She is currently serving a sentence for an unrelated armed robbery. Her daughter was out on bail for Monday's hearing.
Judge Gagné is scheduled to deliver his decision on the sentences in mid-January 2026.
