(CINCINNATI)—Today, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph T. Deters announced the indictment of Pleasant Plain, Ohio resident April Corcoran (DOB 4-4-84) on 27 felony counts in the attached indictment. If convicted of all charges, she faces the possibility of life in prison.
Also indicted today is Cincinnati resident Shandell Willingham (DOB 8-25-73) on 26 felony counts in the attached indictment. If convicted of all charges, he faces the possibility of life in prison.
Corcoran is charged with trafficking her 11-year-old daughter H.C. to Shandell Willingham, her drug dealer, in exchange for heroin. She is also accused of forcing her daughter to use heroin. Willingham is accused of sex crimes against the victim, some of which he videotaped. The sex acts and videotaping occurred in Willingham’s Colerain Avenue apartment.
As indicated in the indictment, this occurred between February 15, 2014 to June 6, 2014. When the victim went to live with her father and stepmother in June 2014 she revealed what had occurred to her stepmother. (The victim continues to reside with her father and stepmother.) The Cincinnati Police Department was contacted and began an investigation.
Their investigation resulted in today’s indictment which will be the first Hamilton County prosecution in state court for human trafficking.
The prosecution of this case will be a joint prosecution between the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office and the Ohio Attorney General’s office.
Prosecutor Deters commented, “As a parent, it is hard to imagine how you could use your child to satisfy your drug addiction. Even after all my years as a prosecutor, I continue to be amazed at how badly parents treat their children. What this little girl endured is unimaginable and I can only hope that mom and drug dealer’s prosecution and intense counseling will help this child regain some trust in the world. This case is Exhibit A for how devastating heroin is to our communities.”
“This situation is sad beyond measure, “said Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. “Instead of protecting her daughter, the mother saw her as a way to get drugs because the lure of heroin was apparently too strong.”
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Documents
2015-03-23-Human-Trafficking-indictment (PDF)
Media Contacts
Dan tierney: 614-466-3840
Lisa Hackley: 614-466-3840