Ashland police testify in labor trafficking trial

By CHRIS COTELESSE

TheNewsOutlet.org

YOUNGSTOWN

Ashland police officers testified about their investigation into the purported force labor and imprisonment of a cognitively impaired woman and her 5-year-old daughter by Jessica L. Hunt, 31, and Jordie L. Callahan, 26.

Officer Kim Mager, on direct examination by U.S. attorneys on Monday, described the purported victim, referred to as S.E. in court documents, when she questioned her Oct. 25, 2012, about allegations of child endangerment by Hunt and Callahan.

“She was filthy,” Mager said. “She had coagulated saliva around her mouth. Her nails were black around the cuticles. ... She was underweight.”

The testimony came before Judge Benita Y. Pearson at the Thomas D. Lambros Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse here. Hunt and Callahan, both of Ashland, are accused of imprisoning S.E. and stealing her government assistance.

They both face federal charges of labor-trafficking conspiracy and abuse of the 30-year-old woman. If convicted of those charges, they could face 39 years in prison.

If the jury considers the sentencing enhancement for kidnapping, they could receive life in prison.

Chelsea Rice, an assistant U.S. attorney, said she expects the government to finish calling its witnesses by the end of today, at which point the defense will begin presenting its case.

Hunt and Callahan provided police with video evidence of S.E. striking her daughter after S.E. was arrested on a charge of shoplifting Oct. 24, 2012.

Mager also described S.E.’s daughter as she appeared on that date.

“She had a distended stomach, but her rib cage was sunken in,” she said. “She had marks on her arms, marks on her legs.”

Mager said she asked S.E. if she had been sexually abused. Although S.E. said that she had not been, Mager said she believed S.E. had been abused.

“She raised her shoulders and lowered her head. She appeared fearful,” Mager told the court.

Mager had separated S.E. from Hunt and Callahan while she questioned her, but she said that Hunt and Callahan were close enough to interject during the conversation.

Sgt. Darcy Baker also testified that S.E.’s demeanor, physical appearance and personal hygiene began to improve once she was taken to jail on the child-endangerment charges.

“She began to smile when I came to see her,” Baker said. “She began to put on weight.”

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