A Jonesville man facing charges of sexually trafficking and raping a woman with low cognitive abilities is scheduled to appear in Bartholomew Circuit Court Monday.
Christopher Scott Lovell, 42, is one of four people facing charges in the human sexual trafficking and raping of a woman suspected of having the cognitive function of a toddler. His co-defendants are Brandon A. Jacobs, 37; Christina Moffatt, 28; and Jon Arnold, 66, of Salem.
In one of two pending cases, Lovell is charged with rape when the victim is mentally disabled or deficient as a Level 3 felony, and the promotion of human sexual trafficking as a Level 4 felony.
Lovell is charged in the second case with domestic battery involving bodily injury to a pregnant woman as a Level 5 felony. Since the victim in both cases is the same person, this case is also expected to be addressed with the other charges during Monday’s hearing before Judge Kelly Benjamin.
If convicted of all three felonies, the judge could sentence Lovell to serve up to 34 years in prison, as well as pay fines as high at $30,000.
On Monday, Lovell will either accept a plea bargain during the 9:30 a.m. hearing, participate in a pre-trial conference ahead of his tentative Dec. 3 trial date, or request a continuance.
The victim was living with Lovell, Moffatt and Jacobs in a mobile home in Jonesville when the crimes took place, according to court documents.
Moffatt, Jacobs and Lovell allegedly engaged in sexual acts with the victim on multiple occasions since last year and repeatedly took her to a residence in Salem to engage in sexual acts with Arnold in exchange for money, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Jacobs allegedly showed sheriff’s deputies video of the domestic violence incident taken from “internal security cameras” in the living room of the Jonesville residence, according to a probable cause affidavit. The video shows Lovell approaching the victim and striking her in the face, causing her to fall to the ground, the affidavit states.
Lovell told investigators he knew the victim was pregnant and that he had struck her with an open hand, according to investigators.
During the course of the investigation, deputies learned that Lovell was in “an open, three-way relationship” with Moffatt and the victim, both of whom were pregnant, the affidavit states.
Jacobs told the deputies he believes Lovell is the father of the victim’s child, but he is claiming to be the father after Lovell allegedly said he didn’t want the child, according to court documents.
Local authorities were alerted to the case by Columbus Regional Hospital staff after the mentally-challenged woman had given birth to a child, the affidavit stated. Medical personnel determined through a neuropsychological evaluation that the woman does not have the cognitive ability to consent to a sexual relationship.
In Washington Superior Court, Arnold is facing 12 counts of rape when the victim is mentally disabled or deficient as Level 3 felonies, as well as one count of human trafficking as a Level 4 felony. If found guilty of all counts, Arnold could be sentenced to more than 200 years in prison.
Arnold, who is free on $60,000 bond, is scheduled for a change of plea or pre-trial conference before Washington Superior Court Judge Dustin Houchin at 9 a.m. on Dec. 4. He’s tentatively scheduled to be tried at 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 21.
In Bartholomew County, Arnold is charged with rape when the victim is mentally disabled or deficient at a Level 3 felony, and human trafficking as a Level 4 felony. His next appearance before Judge Benjamin will be a change of plea or pre-trial conference at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 6. A trial is tentatively scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Feb.4.
Early this month, Moffatt was ordered to served five years with the Indiana Department of Correction on a charge of promoting prostitution as a Level 5 felony. She’s facing the same felony count in Salem before Washington Circuit Court Larry Medlock. However, a change of plea or pre-trial conference scheduled for Thursday has been postponed until Dec. 12.
Jacobs’ change of plea or pre-trial conference has been delayed until April 7.
