First Human Trafficking Case Indicted In Franklin County

Posted on 8/1/2012

Defendant: Rider, Tackett, Morrison, Evans

Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced that the Franklin County Grand Jury has indicted the first human trafficking case in Franklin County against the following four co-defendants: Roger K. Rider, DOB 7/8/83, of 317 E. 4th Street/Chillicothe, OH Craig E. Tackett, DOB 5/16/91, of 357 E. 4th Street/Chillicothe, OH Mara D. Morrison, DOB 5/13/91, of 357 E. 4th Street/Chillicothe, OH Richard L. Evans, DOB 4/1/57, of 426 E. Water Street/Chillicothe, OH Counts in the indictments range from Trafficking in Persons (F-2), Rape (F-1), Kidnapping (F-1), and Promoting Prostitution (F-4). It is alleged that in November and December of 2011, the victim, age 24, was lured up to Columbus from Chillicothe by the defendants, under the guise of partying for the evening. The defendants were neighborhood acquaintances of the victim. Once in Columbus, the victim was sexually exploited and forced to work as a prostitute by the defendants at many local hotels, including the Super 8 Hotel, Motel 6, and Knights Inn (all on Dublin-Granville Road), Columbus Inn and Suites on Zumstein Drive, Knights Inn on Groves Road, and Baymont Inn on International Gateway. O’Brien stated, “These defendants preyed upon a vulnerable victim, forced her to engage in repeated sex acts, and utilized her suffering as an opportunity for their personal financial profit”. O’Brien further commended the thorough investigation conducted by the Columbus Police Department, Ross County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, and the Ohio Organized Crime Human Trafficking Task Force. “This case illustrates the importance of continued collaborative work not only across the state, but also the nation in order to protect the most vulnerable of victims from sexual exploitation”, O’Brien stated. Anyone with information about human trafficking should call the Bureau of Criminal Investigation at 1-855-BCI-OHIO (224-6446) or their local police agency.