Couple Charged with Taking Child to Prostitution Sting Waive Hearing

A Burgettstown couple with taking a 6-year-old child to a Moon apartment complex where  were conducting a prostitution sting have waived their rights to a preliminary hearing. 

Police said James Melvin Chappell, 48, and his fiancee, Dafney Sienicki, 30, took a 6-year-old with them Oct. 28 to the undisclosed township apartment complex where police were conducting the undercover operation.  

Police detectives contacted individuals who were advertising sexual favors in exchange for money on websites, including Backpages.com, Eros.com and AdultSearch.com, and arranged to meet with them at the apartment. 

Chappell is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of criminal conspiracy. Police waived a felony promoting prostitution charge first filed against him. Sienicki is charged with endangering the welfare of a child, promoting prostitution, criminal conspiracy and prostitution. Drug possession charges against her have been waived 

The couple briefly appeared Tuesday in Coraopolis District Court with defense attorney R. Blaine Jones II, who said his clients were happy with the outcome of their court appearance. 

"We're very happy with it, yes," said Jones, who said Chappell and Sienicki are engaged to be married. 

The two are scheduled to appear in January in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. 

Eight others were charged with prostitution-related offences in connection to the Oct. 28 sting. 

Dozens have been  this year with prostitution-related crimes during Moon Police prostitution stings, including former Pittsburgh narcotics detective Talib Ghafoor, 55, and his fiance, Sabina Earlene Sailer, 43, who are scheduled to appear next month in common pleas court.