By MIKE FLETCHER
Two Kokomo women, one accused of prostituting a 15-year-old girl to her adult friend, were arrested in Peru, the same day Kokomo police listed them as fugitives on Crime Stoppers.
Lt. Jay Richardson, of the Peru Police Department, caught up with Jenni M. Ward, 25, and Nicole Cooper, 23, Thursday evening in Peru.
Richardson said he arrested the women at a Peru residence after Peru police received a tip from Howard County sheriff deputies about their whereabouts. The women were arrested without incident.
Kokomo police profiled the pair on Crime Stoppers of Indiana Thursday after they were unable to locate the women.
Ward and Cooper were initially booked into the Miami County jail Thursday and then transferred Friday to the Howard County jail, where they are being held without bail pending their court appearances.
A warrant was issued for Ward on a charge of Class B felony promoting prostitution after she allegedly arranged the sexual encounter between the juvenile and Mike Wisehart. Police arrested Wisehart last week on a charge of sexual misconduct with a minor due to the incident.
Wisehart allegedly paid Ward $200 to have sex with the girl June 27 at Pine Valley Apartments, according to police reports.
The Class B felony carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Cooper faces felony drug charges and failure to appear on forgery and counterfeiting charges.
Wisehart and Ward also face felony drug charges in other cases.
• Mike Fletcher is the Kokomo Tribune crime reporter. He can be reached at (765) 454-8577 or mike.fletcher@kokomotribune.com.
