Darren Townsend, 38, of Akron, pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking in persons, six counts of promoting prostitution, three counts of compelling prostitution, and one count of corrupting another with drugs. He was facing up to 38 years in prison if he were convicted on all of the charges he was facing, but after his guilty plea, was sentenced to 14 years by Summit County Common Pleas Court Judge Amy Corrigall Jones.
According to the Beacon Journal, Noah Munyer, Townsend's attorney told the paper, "He decided the risk of a jury verdict was too much."
Pearl Coffey, 35, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of attempted trafficking in persons, compelling prostitution, and one count of corrupting another with drugs. She has not yet been sentenced.
One of the victims, who was 17-years-old at the time, told the court that Townsend would pick her up from high school and take to several different locations throughout Akron where she would have sex for money.
APD Getting $1M for Cold Case Rape Kits in Akron
Written by Ryan Lang(City of Akron) The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, awarded the City of Akron a 3-year Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) grant. The purpose of the grant is to develop a multidisciplinary working group that will be trained in a victim centered, trauma informed approach to review, prioritize, investigate, and prosecute sexual assault cold cases.
The grant will provide for:
- Personnel to support a 3-year program including 3 investigators and partial funding for an administrative assistant, a victim advocate, and a prosecutor
- A case management system database specifically designed for cold case SAK investigations and compatible with those used in the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office and the City of Akron Prosecutor’s Office
- Technology and supplies to increase the efficiency of investigations
Chief Kenneth Ball, Akron Police Chief, states, “The Akron Police Department is thrilled to receive this grant. The process was very competitive. Our selection represents an organizational goal of providing the very best services for crime victims and our community. There are still challenges ahead, but this is a very positive step toward securing justice in these cases.”
Currently, APD doesn’t have adequate staffing to support a comprehensive response to cold case sexual assault cases. Beginning in 2012, the Akron Police Department began assessing every sexual assault kit collected since 1993 in order to submit or re-submit the kits for DNA testing under the 2011 Ohio Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Kit (SAK) Testing Initiative. All SAKs in APD’s inventory were submitted and returned.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) has tested and returned 1,822 tested sexual assault kits (SAKs) to the Akron Police Department (APD)—847 of which returned a CODIS eligible profile—from cases 1 year or older. 975 kits did not return a DNA profile, but additional evidence (clothing, linens, etc.) may exist that could be tested. There is a great need to provide follow up investigation for all kits and—where possible and desired by the victim—prosecution.
Mayor Dan Horrigan added, “This is an amazing accomplishment for our Akron Police Department. This will allow us to better meet the needs of victims of sexual assault and truly hold their abusers accountable.”
An estimated 115,000 spectators got up early Saturday, gathering along the Blue Line for the 16th running of the Akron Marathon.
Two male runners from Akron placed first and second among the men; Israel Merkle finished first in two hours and 26 minutes, while Dylan Garritano finished second.
Grace McCarron of Mansfield finished first among the women, at 2 hours, 51 minutes, while her sister Emma, who won last year, came in fourth in this year's half marathon.
With 10,000 runners participating, the Marathon was a sellout, which Brian Polen with the Marathon says only means good things for the 2019 event.
See more, including full results at AkronMarathon.org.
A few tense moments at a pro-2nd amendment rally on Kent State campus Saturday afternoon, as protesters clashed with demonstrators.
The rally, wasn't officially a rally as KSU officials denied the permit to Kent grad Kaitlin Bennett who planned speakers but didn't apply for that permit in time. She was still within her rights, according to State Law, to hold an "open-carry" march on campus, which she did. Bennett's group, though, was met with protesters and at one point things escalated.
Four people were arrested, all for disorderly conduct, but one person was also charged with assaulting a police officer.
"We anticipated that this day might present some challenges, as opposing groups from the outside came to our campus to express their freedoms and be heard," said KSU President Beverly Warren said in a press conference after the event, adding, "While there was some heated challenges and exchanges today, I am pleased to say that today's events concluded with minimal violence and injury and no damage to University property."
See the full press conference, courtesy of Kent State University's Facebook page, here.
Each week, the Ray Horner Morning Show spotlights a local business that assures their dedication to the community. This week begins “Rocktober,” so put those headphones on and crank it to 11, as Ray talked to Rich Seibert from Beach Boyz Entertainment. Rich began his business over 35 years ago at his home in Doylestown, and the company has expanded to employing dozens of people working events such as weddings, bar mitzvahs, sweet sixteens, and countless others.
The Stark County Sheriff's Office says Jacob Stockdale, 26, has turned himself in after the Stark County Grand Jury issued a secret indictment earlier this week, charging him with the murder of his 21-year-old brother James and his 54-year-old mother Kathryn.
According to the report, Stockdale shot himself after killing his brother and mother in their home in Bethlehem Township back in June of 2017.
Stockdale had been recovering from his self-inflicted wounds, and was charged this week.
Sheriff George Maier, in a statement, said, "It is our hope that this arrest offers some closure to the Stockdale family and the entire community."
See the full statement from Sheriff Maier below:
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This Week in Tech with Jeanne Destro-9-28-18 Featured
Written by Jeanne Destro
This week: EBAY launches a big new national customer service program in Akron, Amazon expands its chain of cashier-less convenience stores, a possible cure for baldness, and an out-of-this world clean energy supply.
Student Athletes of the Week Tyler Lenke & Emily Dente
Written by Aaron ColemanThis week our 1590 WAKR Female Student Athlete of the Week is Emily Dente, a junior soccer player from Copley High School.
As a team captain, Dente says her leadership on the pitch is both vocal and by example.
“I’m very vocal on the field,” she says. I play center back, so I can see everything.”
Her head soccer coach Wally Senk echoed that sentiment.
"Emily is a bonafide competitor with an innate ability to lead. She doesn't have an off-switch, embracing the grind and paying attention to the little things that make her and her teammates better,” he said.
Dente is a multi-sport athlete playing soccer, basketball, and track for the Indians.
Away from the field, Senk said she maintains that focus and intensity in the classroom as well.
“Emmy's determination, perseverance, and self-motivation are contagious and evident on the field as well as in the classroom, where she keeps her GPA above 4.0."
Emily comes from an athletic family as her dad Mark, is the boys and girls basketball coach at Copley High, and also has two brothers in sports.
“I really like it (being in an athletic family)because we all support each other,” she said.
Upon graduation in the spring of 2020, Emily plans on studying pediatric nursing.
We wish Emily the best in all of her future endeavors.
This week our 1590 WAKR Male Student Athlete of the Week is senior football player Tyler Lenke of Copley High School.
Lenke said he got into football at an early age, and says it’s a lot of fun getting to work with his coaches and teammates day in and day out.
“There’s times, but there’s a lot of good times, and you just make the best of it,” he said. Tyler’s head coach Scott Chouinard, talked about his work ethic on the field. “Tyler Lenke is a three year starter and captain of our 2018 football team,” Chouinard explained. “He has played Offensive Line and Defensive Line and has been one of our most consistent players for the past three years.”
Away from the gridiron, Lenke also exhibits leadership, according to Coach Chouinard. “Off the field he is a kind and thoughtful individual who is always willing to help teachers and fellow students and he represents the best of Copley High School in his actions and his performance on the football field and in the hallways.”
Tyler has played every position along the offensive line during his time at Copley, and as a captain, that versatility gives him insight and credibility with his teammates, especially his mates along the line. “When you’ve played every position along the line, you get to know what everyone’s supposed to do, and if someone needs help, you know exactly what to do, and you help them.”
Upon graduation in the spring, Tyler plans on attending college and mechanical engineering could be a possible course of study. We wish Tyler the best in all of his future endeavors.