A man from Euclid, Ohio, has been sentenced to 12.5 years in federal prison for sex trafficking a minor and coercing an adult woman for commercial sex purposes. The sentence, delivered by United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV on August 18, 2025, includes 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment. Donte Lashawn Cole will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Court documents show that Cole transported a minor from Ohio to Monroeville, Pennsylvania, in May 2023 with the intent of engaging her in commercial sex acts. He also coerced an adult woman across state lines for similar purposes. Between April and October 2023, Cole used online advertisements to market both victims for commercial sex services in Western Pennsylvania and other locations.
Judge Stickman described Cole’s actions as “evil” and said that he “victimized minor girls, crossed state lines, and treated the girls like property for (his) own gain.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our local, state, and federal partners to stand against human trafficking and the exploitation of children and hold sex traffickers such as Donte Cole accountable,” said Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti. “We will remain vigilant in ensuring that anyone seeking to profit through the exploitation of any child or adult is identified, investigated, and brought to justice.”
Special Agent in Charge Edward V. Owens of Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia stated: “Human traffickers such as Donte Cole prey on the vulnerable, inflicting unimaginable suffering and robbing victims of their dignity and freedom. This case spotlights the depravity of those who exploit others for profit. Homeland Security Investigations will never stop working to ensure these predators are held accountable. We remain relentless in our mission to rescue victims, dismantle trafficking operations, and bring justice to those who have endured such horrific abuse.”
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday added: “This predatory trafficker was calculated in how he selected his victims, choosing vulnerable individuals who he then manipulated into situations where their livelihood depended on being at his beck and call. Human trafficking is dehumanizing—some of the most egregious conduct we encounter in society. I commend our federal partners for collaborating to reach a resolution that ensures Donte Cole will be far away, for many years, from anyone else he can exploit, manipulate, and abuse.”
The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Schupansky alongside Special Assistant United States Attorney Summer Carroll (Assistant Chief Deputy Attorney General). The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations together with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.
This case was part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at fighting child sexual exploitation by coordinating resources among federal prosecutors like U.S. Attorneys’ Offices with other agencies [https://www.justice.gov/psc].
Victims or those with information about potential human trafficking situations are encouraged to contact law enforcement or use resources like the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or its online tip portal [https://humantraffickinghotline.org/report-trafficking].
