LIMA — A prosecutor laid out more of the allegations against a man accused of raping children, including accusing a woman of selling sexual favors with her children to the man to purchase drugs.
Assistant Allen County Prosecutor Terri Kohlrieser did not say if the woman had been charged.
Kohlrieser’s statements came during a motion hearing Wednesday for 62-year-old Ronald Payne, who is facing the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison. He is charged with rape, attempted rape, and numerous other sex crimes, including human trafficking.
The crimes occurred between Jan. 1, 2014, and Jan. 27, 2015. One of the victims was a 12-year-old girl when the crimes occurred, and another was a 15-year-old girl, Kohlrieser said.
There also is a boy involved, who Kohlrieser plans to call as a witness at trial. He was trying to protect his sister when Payne told him he could step in for his sister to perform sexual acts, Kohlrieser said.
“When they did these things with him, he gave their mother money to go buy drugs,” Kohlrieser said.
Payne also had 17 pictures of a child in the state of nudity, Kohlrieser said.
Payne’s attorney, Greg Donohue, is seeking to have copies of those photos with private areas of the child’s body blocked out. Donohue said he needs the photos to prepare a defense.
Kohlrieser said it was not necessary to provide Donohue with photos. She said he’s already viewed the photos and can stop by the Prosecutor’s Office to take additional notes on each photo if he needs to.
“Our allegations are she sent them to him and he was in possession of them,” Kohlrieser said.
Donohue also wants to split up some of the charges and have two different trials because of the number of victims. He said trying the charges together could badly influence a jury. Kohlrieser said Ohio law allows similar crimes to be presented to a jury at one trial.
Judge David Cheney will issue a decision at a later date after reviewing case law.
Payne also waived his right to a speedy trial and was assigned a new trial date for Oct. 24.
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