A trial for three women charged with soliciting on Columbus Pike has been scheduled in Delaware Municipal Court.
The three women — Sheena A. Shaheen, 43, of Hilliard; Stacie Schell, 29, of 122 N. Washington St., Delaware; and Lindsey R. Hodges, 23, of 5 Delta St. Delaware — were arrested on Jan. 20 during a police sting operation.
Delaware Police Captain Adam Moore said police in January received a complaint of online advertisements offering sexual services for hire in Delaware.
Moore said police recruited the help of the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force to assist in the operation in case the women providing these services were victims of human trafficking.
On Jan. 20, police arranged to meet the women in the parking lot of a business on Columbus Pike. The women arrived at about 10 p.m. and were taken into custody by police officers.
Moore said the investigation revealed the women were not victims of human trafficking and they were charged with solicitation, a third-degree misdemeanor.
The three women were then transported to the Delaware County Jail.
The women were arraigned in Delaware Municipal Court on Jan. 21, where they entered not-guilty pleas to the solicitation charges in front of Judge David Sunderman.
Shaheen and Schell were both released on a recognizance bond and released from the jail.
Hodges was also given a recognizance bond but was being held at the jail Tuesday because of a failure to appear for a 2015 charge of possession of drug abuse instruments.
A pretrial hearing was set for Feb. 15 at 1 p.m. and a joint jury trial has been set for Feb. 16 at 8:15 a.m.
Schell was also charged with possession of less than 100 grams of marijuana; she pleaded not guilty. She will be tried on the possession charge during the solicitation trial. This is Schell’s third drug-related charged in Delaware Municipal Court.
According to the Ohio Revised Code, penalties for third-degree misdemeanors are no more than 60 days in jail and a fine not to exceed $500.