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Pulaski man convicted of abduction, sex trafficking in 2022 multi-jurisdictional case

RADFORD, Va. – A Pulaski man was convicted Friday of abduction with intent to defile, conspiracy to abduct to defile, and sex trafficking after a three-day jury trial in Radford.

According to Radford Commonwealth’s Attorney Chris Rehak, the multi-jurisdictional incident involving Deshawn Tucker began on Jan. 10, 2022, but ended in Henry County where authorities responded to a 911 text for help.

We’re told deputies arrived at the scene to find a desolate trailer where two women told authorities they were being abducted and repeatedly sexually assaulted by strangers to “work off” a monetary debt.

“This was a drug debt that was owed from one person to another and unfortunately she did not have the money to pay. And he owed someone money so he decided to just pass this through,” Rehak told 10 News in an interview on Tuesday.

The Commonwealth presented evidence that one of the women, Catlyn Wilhelm owed Tucker money, and in turn, Tucker owed someone named Waylon Cox money. According to Rehak, Wilhelm went into hiding to avoid Tucker.

The Commonwealth’s Attorney said evidence showed Tucker negotiated with Cox to “trade” Wilhelm and Tabatha Stephenson in exchange for the debt.

According to Rehak, the jury learned from police in Henry County that Tucker’s friends who assaulted the women are notorious for selling drugs and violent crime.

We’re told Stephenson was suspected of helping Tucker in the abduction of Wilhelm and was later charged as a co-conspirator, testifying last week.

Rehak said after preliminary hearings in Henry County and Radford, Wilhelm tragically died in August 2022. During the trial, the jury heard audio from Wilhelm’s Radford preliminary hearing testimony recorded on April 7, 2022. Official court transcripts of Wilhelm’s Henry County testimony and medical records were also shown as evidence.

We’re told Tucker did not testify in his defense, but provided a recorded statement at the Henry County Sheriff’s Office when he responded to pick up Stephenson and Wilhelm the night they were rescued. The Commonwealth’s Attorney said Tucker denied any nefarious complicity and even claimed to not know who he met in Floyd to transfer the two women.

According to Rehak, the convictions carry the following possible sentences:

  • Abduction with intent to defile; 20 years to life
  • Conspiracy to abduct; 1-10 years
  • Sex trafficking; 2-10 years

“If you force or encourage someone to participate in prostitution and get anything in monetary value, that’s sex trafficking. And that is what he did,” said Rehak.

We’re told after a pre-sentence investigation report is complete, Tucker will be sentenced by the judge later this summer.

“This case required a tremendous amount of work and would have been difficult if Catlyn Wilhelm testified in-person, and her absence presented a unique and unprecedented additional challenge,” Rehak said in a statement. “I decided to prosecute nonetheless and seek justice for Catlyn. Radford Police and Henry County law enforcement did a magnificent job. It is an understatement to say the quest for Tucker’s accountability took on special significance after Catlyn’s untimely death.”