Proctorville area man indicted on 51 counts of rape

Proctorville area man indicted on 51 counts of rape

March 01, 2012 @ 10:45 PM

DAVID E. MALLOY

The Herald-Dispatch

IRONTON -- A Proctorville area man was indicted Wednesday on 51 counts of rape and his wife was indicted on 41 counts of complicity to rape.

Don D. Copley, 68, of County Road 70, Proctorville, was indicted in the rape case. He is charged with the rape of four different people, some of the charges dating back to May 1991. Beverly K. Copley, 56, also of County Road 70, Proctorville, was indicted on the charges of complicity to rape.

Some of the charges, upon conviction, carry a prison sentence of life, said Brigham Anderson, an assistant Lawrence County prosecutor.

"The statute of limitations in Ohio in a rape case is 20 years," Anderson said. "I don't believe the statue of limitations has run" in this case.

The indictment charges Copley with rape on more than 50 occasions between May 1, 1991, and Aug. 28, 2011.

The cases were among 20 handed up Wednesday by a Lawrence County grand jury. One of the indictments was sealed.

In other cases: