Ronnie Copeland, 46, and Shawn Putt, 40, are each wanted after a grand jury handed up a count indictment charging the pair with trafficking in persons, rape, promoting prostitution and endangering children charges. Copeland faces additional charges of kidnapping and felonious assault tied to the case.
Andueana Dobroshi, a public defender representing Copeland in an unrelated case, declined to comment when reached by phone Monday. No attorneys were listed in court records for Copeland or Putt, and neither could be reached for comment Monday.
According to the indictment, Copeland and Putt began trafficking the girl in January , when she was 13 years old, and continued through Sept. How the pair first came into contact with the girl and how she was eventually freed from the operation were unclear as of Monday afternoon. Copeland is free on bond on a separate domestic violence case, according to court records. He pleaded guilty on June 17 to abduction, attempted felonious assault and domestic violence charges. Copeland is set to be sentenced in that case on July Putt has no prior felony convictions in Cuyahoga County.
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Ad Choices. By Cory Shaffer, cleveland.
