West Toledo man gets prison time in sex crime case

4/13/2018
BY JENNIFER FEEHAN
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Issaiah R. Coker, with attorney Larry DiLabbio, left.
Issaiah R. Coker, with attorney Larry DiLabbio, left.

A West Toledo man who had sex with a girl who was two weeks shy of her 13th birthday was sentenced Thursday to two years in prison.

Issaiah R. Coker, 19, of the 4100 block of North Haven Avenue entered Alford pleas — not admitting guilt — Dec. 19 and was found guilty of two counts of sexual battery. He had been indicted on two counts of rape.

Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Linda Jennings also classified Coker as a sex offender who must register his address with the county sheriff every 90 days for the rest of his life.

Defense attorney Larry DiLabbio told the court that his client had no criminal record. He said Coker he met the victim through social media and developed a friendship with the girl, who he believed was 16 going on 17.

The victim came to his grandmother's house last July 4 where the two had consensual sex, Mr. DiLabbio said, adding that Coker “clearly never intended to go and commit any offense.”

The victim addressed the court briefly, asking that Coker be allowed to come home and “have his own life back.”

Coker, who will receive credit for the 261 days he has spent in the Lucas County jail, apologized, saying he “truly thought she was of consenting age.”

Judge Jennings told Coker that was no defense.

“There would be a big difference if she was 16 or 17, but this victim was 12 years old, almost a child of tender years, and the law is designed to protect children from situations like this,” the judge said.

Contact Jennifer Feehan at jfeehan@theblade.com or 419-213-2134.