Proctorville couple turn themselves in for rape charges, are arraigned

Proctorville couple turn themselves in for rape charges, are arraigned

Published 10:09am Thursday, March 8, 2012

Husband’s bond set at $500K, wife’s set at $50K

A Proctorville man answered 51 counts of first-degree rape Wednesday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

His wife also appeared to answer 41 charges that she allegedly helped him.

Don D. Copley, 68, of 1518 County Road 70, and Beverly K. Copley, 56, of the same address, voluntarily turned themselves in to authorities after learning of the indictments against them that were issued by the Lawrence County Grand Jury late last month.

Copley’s charges included “engaging in sexual conduct” with four girls who were under the age of 13 at the time of the alleged incidents.

The indictment alleges 10 incidents with one victim took place between 1991 and 1997. It alleges 20 incidents took place with the second child between 1991 and 1996.

Copley is accused of criminal activity with the third child 10 times between 1993 and 1996 and 10 more times between 1996 and 2001. The last indictment alleges one act with the fourth child sometime between June and August of 2011.

Beverly Copley’s 41 charges were first-degree complicity to rape.

The indictment alleged she aided her husband in 41 of his 51 alleged sex crimes.

The Copleys, represented by attorneys Chris Delawder and Mike Curtis, pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

Judge Charles Cooper set bond for Don Copley at $500,000 plus a $10,000 own recognizance (OR) bond. According to Cooper, Copley would have to put up at least $100,000 surety and 10 percent of the $400,000 cash. The OR bond would keep him under house arrested with a GPS ankle monitor.

Cooper set bond for Beverly Copley at $50,000.

The couple also waived their right to a speedy trial. Cooper scheduled a pretrial for April 11. The couple faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.