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Corey Seager, Michael Fulmer take Rookie of the Year honors

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Our Opinion: Sex trade’s victims in NEPA too often ignored or treated solely as criminals

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Prosecutors long had maintained <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/uncategorized/88923/pittston-woman-left-for-dead-over-missing-cell-phone" target="_blank">it was a stolen iPhone</a> that prompted three people to abduct Dayna Williams and slash her throat before leaving her for dead two years ago in Bear Creek Township.</p><p>On Monday, they revealed why.</p><p>The cellphone, as detailed Monday at a hearing by Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney Mamie Phillips, held evidence that incriminated Nygee Jamal Taylor and Chloe Amelia Isaacs as drug dealers and was a device the pair could ill afford to lose.</p><p>&#8220;When the phone was missing &#8230; it became a problem,&#8221; Phillips said.</p><p>Phillips said Taylor and Isaacs became concerned when the phone was lifted during an October 2014 party at the Wilkes-Barre residence they shared. The missing phone jeopardized a drug deal Isaacs had scheduled for the next day in New York, Phillips said.</p><p>That&#8217;s when Taylor called Jerone Andre Moore, who had been at the party with Williams the night before, Phillips said. Moore, Taylor&#8217;s co-defendant in the attempted homicide case, allegedly said Williams had taken the phone, setting in motion the chilling chain of events that nearly led to Williams&#8217; death.</p><p>Williams, 22, of Pittston, was brought to Isaacs&#8217; North Hancock Street residence where she was stripped down and beaten for hours, according to prosecutors. She was later placed in a barrel and driven to a secluded area near Lake Aleeda where her throat was cut, prosecutors say. Williams, however, survived and made her way to a nearby residence.</p><p>The theft, Phillips argued, &#8220;is in fact motive for Dayna Williams being a target.&#8221;</p><p>The revelation was news to Taylor&#8217;s attorney.</p><p>&#8220;We had no idea what the evidence would be before today,&#8221; Frank McCabe said, arguing Taylor&#8217;s designation as a drug dealer would prejudice a jury. McCabe noted the case was more than 2 years old, and while the cellphone long had been considered a motive, prosecutors hadn&#8217;t shared the specifics until Monday.</p><p>Phillips said prosecutors obtained the information during an October interview with Isaacs.</p><p>Judge David W. Lupas ruled he would allow the evidence, but instructed prosecutors to provide McCabe a report detailing the information.</p><p>Taylor, 26, and Moore, 33, of Wilkes-Barre, face attempted homicide, aggravated assault, kidnapping and conspiracy charges related to the violent abduction. Their trial is slated to begin Nov. 29.</p><p>Issacs, who was released from custody following a bail hearing Monday, <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/564251/woman-accused-of-kidnapping-assault-pleads-guilty-to-charges" target="_blank">pleaded guilty in July</a> to unlawful restraint, simple assault, reckless endangerment and false imprisonment charges for her role in the incident and is awaiting sentencing. She is poised to testify for the commonwealth at trial.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Taylor </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_Nygee-Taylor-6-2-15-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Taylor </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Joe Dolinsky</p><p>jdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Prosecutors: Contents of cellphone a motive in throat-slashing in Bear Creek