BORDERLAND

Police arrest Toledoan suspected in child rape

8/14/2013
BLADE STAFF

The Toledo man who authorities say raped a young girl over a six-year period, giving her candy and dollar bills to “buy her silence,” has been arrested.

U.S. Deputy Marshal Rodney Hartzell said Joel Coleman, 31, whose listed address is 823 N. Michigan St., was arrested about 9:15 a.m. Tuesday at a Woodruff Avenue apartment where police say he was hiding. He was indicted Aug. 1 by the Lucas County grand jury on two counts each of rape and gross sexual imposition.

Mr. Coleman was booked into the Lucas County jail pending his first appearance in Lucas County Common Pleas Court. He was arrested after someone saw him walking to the apartment, recognized him from media alerts, and called authorities, Mr. Hartzell said.

According to court documents, the rapes began when the girl was 6 and continued until she was 12.