Ravenna man's rape sentencing delayed

Sentencing for a Ravenna man charged along with two Ravenna women in the sexual assault of a third woman has been delayed.

The delay follows motions he filed this week, including one seeking to have his case dismissed. Meanwhile, one of his co-defendants has been sentenced.

Portage County Common Pleas Judge Laurie J. Pittman reset Abdul Khabeer Abdus-Shakoor's hearing for March 22. Abdus-Shakoor, 54, was due to be sentenced Thursday.

He represented himself during Thursday's hearing after his attorney, Anthony Koukoutas, filed a motion on Tuesday asking to withdraw from the case. In the motion, Koukoutas wrote that during a Feb. 23 hearing, Abdus-Shakoor indicated he would represent himself and that he sent Koukoutas a letter saying he no longer wanted him to act as his attorney.

During Thursday's hearing, though, Abdus-Shakoor told Pittman that he changed his mind and wanted an attorney. Pittman ruled that Koukoutas should continue.

According to Ravenna Police, the 53-year-old alleged victim reported that she was with Abdus-Shakoor, Deolia A. Day, 59, and Karen S. Gibbons, 62, at Day and Abdus-Shakoor's Cedar Avenue apartment the morning of Oct. 23.

Day claimed the alleged victim stole $200 from her purse, the woman reported, and Day and Abdus-Shakoor searched the woman's car, causing extensive damage.

The money was not found, and Day and Gibbons took the woman into the apartment's bathroom, while Abdus-Shakoor stood outside, and had her remove all of her clothing. Then, while Gibbons allegedly held the woman's arms down and covered her mouth to prevent her from screaming, Day searched the woman, using a bread bag provided by Abdus-Shakoor on her hand.

The alleged search resulted in a rape charge.

The money still was not found, and the woman said she was released from the bathroom. She said she was permitted to leave the apartment after a number of hours. At that time, her phone and keys were returned to her.

A grand jury indicted all three defendants on charges of rape, kidnapping, robbery and sexual battery.

Day and Gibbons are also both charged with having weapons under disability with a firearms specification in connection with a handgun they are not allowed to possess due to prior felony drug possession convictions.

The police report does not include any mention of a gun.

And in a separate, but still related pending case, Abdus-Shakoor is charged with third-degree felony obstruction of justice stemming from an allegation that he tried to "induce" an unidentified individual to not cooperate in the prosecution of Day.

In subsequent amended indictments, the rape, kidnapping, robbery and sexual battery charges against Gibbons and Abdus-Shakoor were changed to complicity, alleging they aided Day in those offenses.

Day pleaded guilty Feb. 5 to rape and kidnapping, as well as three counts of trafficking in cocaine in a separate case, according to court records. Remaining charges were dismissed in a plea deal.

Pittman sentenced Day to 16 to 21 years in prison on March 8.

Abdus-Shakoor pleaded guilty Jan. 29 to the kidnapping charge in the original indictment, with remaining charges dismissed in a plea deal. The amended indictment was filed Jan. 30, but it was dismissed.

Abdus-Shakoor then filed a motion to withdraw his plea, which Pittman denied during the Feb. 23 hearing.

On Tuesday, Abdus-Shakoor filed four handwritten motions requesting acquittal and dismissal of the charges against him, as well as for discovery and that his "trial" be severed "from that of his co-defendants."

Pittman said she would address these motions later. Gibbons' case is still pending.

Reporter Jeff Saunders can be reached at jsaunders@recordpub.com.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Ravenna man's rape sentencing delayed over his motions