Cole Gets 12.5 Years for Trafficking Minor, Coercing Adult

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Donte Lashawn Cole, 32, of Euclid, Ohio, will spend the next 12.5 years in federal prison after being sentenced for the horrific crimes of sex trafficking of a minor and coercion of an adult female for commercial sex. The sentence, handed down by United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV on August 18, 2025, includes 150 months incarceration followed by a decade of supervised release. Cole will also be required to register as a convicted sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Federal prosecutors detailed how Cole transported a vulnerable female minor from Ohio to a Monroeville, Pennsylvania hotel in May of 2023, forcing her into commercial sexual acts. Simultaneously, he ensnared an adult female, luring her across state lines under similar exploitative conditions. From April to October 2023, Cole brazenly advertised his victims online, marketing them for commercial sex services throughout Western Pennsylvania and beyond.

Judge Stickman didn’t mince words during the sentencing, branding Cole’s actions as “evil.” He emphasized the calculated nature of the crimes, highlighting how Cole “victimized minor girls, crossed state lines, and treated the girls like property for (his) own gain.” The judge’s condemnation underscores the severity of the exploitation and the lasting trauma inflicted upon the victims.

“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,” declared 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.”

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Edward V. Owens echoed this sentiment, stating, “Human traffickers such as Donte Cole prey on the vulnerable, inflicting unimaginable suffering and robbing victims of their dignity and freedom…HSI will never stop working to ensure these predators are held accountable.” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday added, “This predatory trafficker was calculated…manipulating individuals into situations where their livelihood depended on being at his beck and call.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Schupansky and Summer Carroll (Assistant Chief Deputy Attorney General). The successful prosecution was the result of a joint investigation by HSI and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative dedicated to combating child sexual exploitation. Anyone with information about potential trafficking situations is urged to contact the FBI, local law enforcement, or the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888.

RELATED: Roanoke Dealer Gets 12.5 Years in Drug-Fueled Murder Plot

RELATED: Pueblo Gunman Gets 12.5 Years for Drugs & Violence